Faraxhae Family Circus
by Freida Right
Summary: FFIV. When you're a family of know-it-all mages, life can be wild. Throw in dark knights, spoony bards, paladins, elemental lords, and forbiden spells, and you get a circus! Mostly from Palom and Porom's pov. Done at last! Hooray! XD R&R for a sequel! -.o
1. Prologue

I'm setting Rydia aside for a little while.

(Insert gasp of shock and terror here)

I'm just out of ideas for her right now. Besides, I think Palom and Porom need more time in the limelight (Palom's my second fave, right after Rydia; it's a close tie).

This story is mostly about Palom and Porom, and their part in the adventure. It's going to be way different from the story and the twins you're familiar with, but I think it will tell a much more interesting story than the game had time to tell.

So, without further ado…

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Prologue

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"Palom, Porom, I want you two to come inside right now!"

"Aw, mom, we're having too much fun!" Palom whined.

Porom had to agree with her brother for once. "Yeah. There's nothing going on. There isn't even a cloud in the sky; it's not going to rain."

"It's not rain I'm worried about, dear," their mother said ominously, eyeing the clear skies with suspicion. "Just come in, please."

"Yes, ma'am," Porom consented. She stood up from the ground, brushed some dust and grass off her dress, and looked over at Palom. He was still practicing his fire spell on a blade of grass as if he hadn't even heard his mother.

"Palom, come on. We have to go in now."

"I'm staying out here."

Porom snatched her brother's hand, burning her own palm in the process, and tried to haul him to his feet. He jerked away from her.

"Stop that, Porom! Leave me alone!"

"Just 'cause you're older doesn't men you get to ignore mom!"

"You're both worrying too much!" Palom informed hotly. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm staying out here." He stomped his foot on the ground and turned away from his sister.

"Why are you always so mean to me?!" Porom demanded. She pushed Palom's back and he fell over on his hands and knees.

"Mom! Porom's pushing me!"

"That is quite enough from both of you," their mother insisted, stepping between the two. "I don't know what is coming, but I don't like it. I want you to come in, please."

"I'm staying out here," Palom insisted. He sat back down on the grass and pouted.

Mother was silent for a minute.

"Fine. You can stay out here. I'll leave the door unlocked for you," she said in as calm a voice she could. "Porom and I will be inside Come on, honey." She took Porom's hand and led her inside.

"I don't understand why he's always got to be so mean to me," Porom whined.

"You're not always so nice to him, either," mother pointed out.

"But he's always mean to me first."

"That's no reason to be mean back. You're a white mage, after all; your job is to take care of people."

Porom made an angry noise and flexed her throbbing hand.

"Come on," mother said, as she and Porom entered their small house. "Come in the kitchen and I'll show you how to make a good burn salve."

"Yes ma'am." Porom used her good hand to shut the door, unhook her green cape and hang it up on a peg nearby. She eyed the lock on the door. She turned the lock spitefully hard, locking Palom out of the house. She stared off angrily to the kitchen.

Outside, Palom was still casting his fire spell on grass. Of all the days he had been annoyed with Porom, this was probably the worst. Push him like that, will you…

He looked up at the sky. Just as Porom had said, there wasn't a cloud to be seen. He would be just fine out here, without them. Nothing was going to happen. The only things in the sky were some birds. A big flock of small birds, headed for the island.

Palom wondered vaguely if they would make for good target practice.

He watched them coming closer and closer. As they did, they began to take on a definite shape, and it was clear that it was really a small flock of large birds.

Big red birds, with white feathers on their heads that didn't flap their wings…

Palom realized that these weren't birds. They were something else entirely.

Palom stood up and watched them closely, wondering what they could be and what they could want. But if they wanted trouble, he would gladly give them some. After all, he was the most advanced student on the island: only a few weeks shy of turning six, and he already knew fire, blizzard, and thunder when his other friends were still learning to read. He was a great mage in his own right. He would dispatch these intruders if they were in fact hostile.

As the things loomed over the island, Palom saw what they really were. They were big ships that sailed through the air instead of in the water. It was pretty cool. He would have loved to go for a ride on one.

The ships landed a few minutes later, outside the city. He stood there waiting for something to happen. Nothing was going on yet.

It was quiet for a bit.

"Oh my god, run!"

"Flee for your lives!"

"Don't hurt me! Leave me alone!"

Palom was scared by all the screaming. The people on those ships _did_ want trouble. He began chanting his fire spell and started off in the direction of the screaming. But he was stopped suddenly by a loud boom sound. He looked up and saw that one ship remained in the sky and was now raining fire on the city. And what fire it was: it looked like flaming rocks, hurtling to earth.

Palom wasn't just scared anymore. He was terrified. This was no place for a child like him; he could be hurt. As advanced as he was, his puny starter spells stood no chance against these ships. He ran for his house. Mother said that the door would be unlocked. He'd get inside and warn her and Porom, and then maybe they could figure out something together.

His path was suddenly blocked by one of the flaming cannon balls. He shrieked and fell on his back, staring in horror at the smoldering rock before him. It had nearly fallen on his head! He jumped back up and sped for the door.

In the house, Porom and mother were in the kitchen, preparing to hide in the basement. The whole house shook violently and something bright red and orange sprang to life outside the window. Porom was knocked to the floor and mother braced herself on the kitchen table. Mother gasped in alarm.

"No! Palom's still outside!" she cried.

There was a sound at the door, of the knob struggling to turn but jamming. Then there was pounding on the door.

"Hey! Let me in! Let me in! Open the door, please! I'm going to die!"

Porom felt her being sink into the floor. She had locked her brother out and now he was going to die. It was all her fault! She had to do something!

"Why did you lock the door, mom?! You said it would be open!" Palom yelled.

"I didn't lock the door," mother yelled back, though Palom probably didn't hear.

Porom leapt to her feet and ran for the door.

"Palom, Palom! I'm coming! Hang on!" she yelled to him and wrenched the lock back open. The door swung open and Palom fell into the doorway face first. Porom helped him scramble to his feet and they ran back into the kitchen together. Another tremor shook the house and they fell again.

Seeing that her children were both alive, mother ran to the trap door that led to the basement and pulled it open.

"Come on, both of you! Get downstairs, quick," she called to them. They both got back up and dashed to the trap door. They jumped down into the darkness below and Palom cast a fire spell to see by. They heard their mother jump down after them and then the trap door fell shut. All light disappeared except Palom's fire.

Mother pulled the twins close to her and held them tightly. Palom lost his concentration on his spell and the light went out. All three of them were crying.

"What's happening?" Palom wailed. "What's going on?"

"I… I don't know," mother admitted between sobs. "I don't… I don't understand either." She was still for a minute. Then she released Palom and started shaking Porom by the shoulders like a doll.

"You locked him out! How could you do that?! You nearly got him killed! Your bother nearly died, and it's your fault! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Porom was bawling; she couldn't say anything between sobbing and being shaken so violently. She managed to pull away from her mother and fell on the ground, her body racked with sobs.

Palom tried to dry his eyes and attempted a deep breath. First the city gets attacked by ships that sail in the sky, then one of their cannon balls nearly kills him, and then he finds his front door locked, and now it turns out that _Porom_ was the one who locked it? He didn't know what to think first.

He never knew that Porom could be so heartless.

He sat down on the ground and hiccupped. He gazed in the direction if the trap door and wondered what on the Blue Planet was happening. The earth shook again with another impact nearby.

He wondered what could possibly happen next.

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The next day, the twins went with their mother to the tower, to see the Elder.

The two sat on a stone bench in the main room, waiting for their mother to return. Both were too dismal to say anything to each other. So they sat in silence for a long, long time.

There was finally some noise, footsteps and squabbling voices. The two looked up to see what was happening. Their mother, the Elder, and his two assistants appeared from around a corner. The white mage walked on a crutch, and the black mage had his arm in a splint.

"But, Rai, what would they want with it? Can they use it?" mother was asking.

"We don't know yet, Mira. We're trying to figure that out," the Elder answered. "There's just so much to do: debris to clean up, buildings to rebuild, wounds to treat, the dead to see to."

"And what you say of the twins doesn't help much," the black mage added.

"Dharma, please," the pink-haired white mage scolded, hurrying after the others on her crutch. "Elder Rai has enough on his mind without their antics."

"They're sitting right over there, Sheila," Dharma said, pointing to the twins across the room. Sheila blushed over her blunder.

The twins pretended not to notice, but in truth they felt like helpless burdens.

Mira looked over at her children, worried over their moods, and then turned back to Rai.

"What of this man, this dark knight? Tell me more of him," she requested.

"As far as I know, he is the captain of the Baronian Red Wings. The men called him Cecil," Rai informed.

"Cecil…" Mira whispered, testing the sound of the name. "A frighteningly gentle name for the man who caused us such pain and stole our most treasured possession," she growled.

Rai placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I looked the man in the eye, Mira. I don't think he wanted to hurt us."

Mira shrugged his hand off.

"How can you say that? That man appeared out of nowhere—without warning—and took our crystal! He _killed_ people, Rai! He put m children in danger! How can you say he didn't want to hurt us?"

Rai smacked the back of Mira's head sharply, ending her rant.

"I am very well aware of the damage he did, _sister_. I didn't say that I was going to invite him over for tea, but I never said that I was going to damn him to hell either."

"You'd may as well. Everyone in this city would see him burn in hell for rest of eternity."

"It's not my place to say who's damned and who's not, Mira. I understand that you're upset—everyone in this city is upset—but I just can't deny what I saw in that man's eyes. I saw no evil, no hatred, no bloodlust in those eyes. Even as he ordered me to stand aside, to take our crystal, I saw sorrow, a great deal of confusion… He did not want to hurt us, Mira, I know it."

"Then _why_, brother?" she begged.

"…I do not know," Rai confessed.

The four mages all dropped their heads, exhausted.

The twins sighed together, as twins sometimes do. Palom folded his arms on top of the table and set his chin down on his arms.

"I know what they're talking about," he muttered, "but whoever that guy was who stole our crystal, I hate him. I'm gonna learn Firaga, just so that I can fry him if he ever comes back."

Porom sighed. She felt awful about locking Palom out of the house. She wished she could take it back; if she had known what was going to happen, she never would have done it. He may be mean sometimes, and he may be an annoying showoff, but he was still her brother and what she had done to him was so wrong.

"I'm sorry, Palom."

"Huh? Are you talking to me?"

"I'm sorry that I locked you outside. I shouldn't have done that."

Palom sat back up and regarded her. "You're really sorry?"

"Yes. I am."

There was another silence between them.

"I forgive you."

Porom brightened. "You do? Really?"

"You let me back in, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"Yeah, you did. So I forgive you. Promise you'll never do it again."

"Promise."

Palom held out his hand to her.

"Shake on it, sis."

Porom shook his hand.

"Deal."

Across the room, they heard Rai mutter, "I wish Tellah were here. He always knew what to do when things like this happened."

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Isn't it sad? It's going to be more lighthearted from now on.

Oh yes, and all the important mages are related. Lol!

Okay, next chapter will be up soon. (I hope! -.-0)


	2. A Huge Annoyance

Chapter 1: A Huge Annoyance

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As soon as Palom saw him stagger into the city he got a horrible feeling. He had never seen him before, but there was just something about him that made him uneasy. The strange man with long, stringy white hair noticed the boy's nervous gaze and stared back. Even at a distance, Palom could see a face full of sorrow—no, not sorrow: despair.

Nonetheless, Palom ran back inside to tell his mother and sister.

"Mom, Porom, there's someone outside," he yelled into the house.

Mira came out of the kitchen, her hands covered in flour and dough. "Who is it, son?" she asked.

Palom shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen him before."

Mira came to the door and looked out. Porom came running from her room to see what was going on.

"What have we told you about yelling in the house?" she scolded.

"There's someone out there. There's something about him that's… it's just weird," Palom explained.

The twins crowded around Mira on the doorstep, looking for the stranger. He had disappeared.

"I don't see anyone," Mira said, sounding a bit peeved.

"But he was just here!" Palom insisted.

Suddenly someone started shouting. The sound of rock hitting metal followed.

"Get him! Drive him away!"

"You have some nerve to come back here, you monster!"

"Wait, please! I just need some help!"

"We'll never help you! You hurt us more than you'll ever know!"

The man Palom had seen ran by the house, followed by several angry people. They were all armed with large rocks, and the man's black and purple armor was dented and scratched in many places.

Mira pulled her children defensively against her hips, which was as high as they stood. The twins, now six years old, had no real idea of what all this was about, but they got the feeling that it meant this strange man in dark armor wasn't well liked.

"Serves that man right," she growled.

"Why? Who is he?" Porom asked, clinging unsurely to her mother's long dress.

"That, my sweet, is the dark knight who took our crystal several months ago. I believe he is called Cecil."

Palom felt his face getting hot with rage. "Do you want me to go hit him with my fire spell for you, mom? It's really good now," he offered.

"No, dear. I think those people have him under control," Mira said coolly, watching three angry mages herding Cecil back to the city wall.

Porom, however, felt pretty bad for him.

"Why do you suppose he's here?" she wondered.

"Who knows?" Mira answered. "What more do we have that could be of value to him?"

"What if the Elder knew he was here?" Porom asked. "Maybe the Elder could help him."

"The Elder has more important things to worry about than him."

"That's kinda mean," Porom countered.

"Who cares? It's more than he deserves," Mira said stubbornly and went back into the house. "Palom, Porom, come on in. I don't like the idea of you playing outside with a creature like _him_ on the loose."

Palom turned to Porom and sighed. "I think mom's right. That guy nearly killed us. He scared everyone, broke a lot of stuff, killed some people, and took our crystal away."

"I know. I should hate him, like everyone else does, but I just can't. There's this overwhelming feeling that he's not evil. I think he could be… good."

"Porom, that's crazy…"

"You sound doubtful."

"No I don't."

Porom gave him an incredulous look and smacked Palom upside the head. (A newly developing habit)

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it right now. Let's go." She walked back in the house to see what Mira was doing. Palom grudgingly followed her inside.

A little bit later, the Elder paid a visit to the house.

"I don't suppose you could come back at another time?" Mira asked. "It's baking day, you know."

"I can see that," Rai agreed, noting her dough-covered hands, "but I have something important that I wish to discuss with you. Are Palom and Porom around?"

"Yes; they're playing in the back, I think. Why?"

"Could you call for them, please?"

Mira sighed, exasperated, and hollered for her children.

"Come on in," she said flatly, gesturing for her brother to come inside. "Can I get you anything? We have milk and water, or I can brew some tea," she offered.

"No, I'm fine," Rai declined. "The twins have come quite a ways since they started their training," he praised. "I've never encountered such advanced students."

"Well, I suppose that it's thick in their blood to be talented in magic," Mira answered, going back to her ball of dough on the counter.

"Once he grows up and settles down a bit, Palom could have the makings of a promising elder. I'm getting too old for this."

Mira scoffed. "What would Tellah say if he heard you talking like that? He'd knock you off your block."

"He could certainly try."

Mira paused and sighed. "Where could those rapscallions be?" she muttered. "Palom! Porom! Get in here _now_!! Don't make me call you again!"

"That ought to get even Palom's attention," Rai chuckled. "He seems resigned lately. He used to order Porom around all the time; now he just stands there and lets her push him around. I wonder what happened?" he wondered as the twins came clattering down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Hey there, kids," he greeted cheerily. "How are the two of you this morning?"

"Good morning, sir," the twins greeted in unison.

"What's going on? Did we do something wrong?" Porom asked.

"Hey, Elder, did you hear? That rotten dark knight came back earlier!" Palom interrupted, climbing in to a chair and sitting back on his knees. "What do you think we should do about him? I can go shoot some of my awesome fire at him, if you want. I told mom that I would, if she wanted, but she said—ow!"

"You'll talk his ears off," Porom scolded, rubbing her hand from another smack to her brother's head.

"What?" Palom demanded. "I was just telling him what happened."

"I certainly heard about it; from the people who drove him away. They claimed he was trying to steal their things and that he was breaking things when they found him. They also said that he drew his sword and tried to attack them," Rai recounted.

"What? No he wasn't," Palom protested. "He was just walking around, minding his own business. Actually, he seemed like he was looking for something."

"You saw him?"

"Yeah; he didn't try to hurt me or anything. I didn't even know who it was. But if I had…"

"I felt sorry for him," Porom stated. "He looked lost when he ran by before."

"An interesting mix of feelings. Palom, Porom, I need to ask something of you both," Rai announced.

Palom set his elbows on the table and propped his chin up on his fists; a stance that said that was intrigued. "Do tell," he said uncharacteristically sweetly.

"It's about the dark knight," Rai informed.

"Really??" Palom sounded like he was going to jump out of his skin from excitement. "You've got it, sir! Just name the spell and I'm on him, I swear!"

Rai chuckled again. "That's not exactly what I had in mind."

"What do you mean, sir?" Porom asked.

"If this man is determined enough, and I sense that he is, he will find a way to come and see me. And when he does—"

"You need us to help protect you," Palom guessed. "I attack him and Porom heals any damage he does. I like that idea!"

"Let me finish," Rai instructed. "I have a task I wish him to complete, when he comes. If he's willing, I am going to send him to the top of Mount Ordeals."

"Now _there's _a plan, brother," Mira said proudly. "Send him off and let the mountain have its fun with him."

"It is true; no one has gone up that mountain alone and survived," Porom added.

"Yes, not alone," Rai stressed.

Mira stopped kneading her dough and looked suspiciously at Rai. "What are you getting at? What favor do want from my children?" she demanded.

"Should the dark knight accept the challenge and go to scale the mountain, I would have Palom and Porom lend him their magic."

"What?!" screamed an outraged Palom.

"No! You're mad!" Mira cried, spinning around and knocking her bread pan on the floor.

Porom was silent.

Palom's face was turning red again. A few tears dripped down his burning cheeks. "I'm not helping that man! He nearly killed me and a whole bunch of other people! He stole our crystal and destroyed half the city! I'll never help him!" He rapidly chanted the only white spell that he knew: sight.

His spell was completed in a few seconds. When it was done, he vanished into thin air. Even though no one could see him, they all heard him leap to the floor and run out of the room wailing.

"I won't be your student anymore if you make me help him!" he threatened.

"I won't allow this," Mira informed savagely. "What are you thinking, you maniac?! Going up the mountain with that murderer: they'll both be dead within an hour!" She grabbed a frying pan from the stove and made like she was going to hit Rai over the head with it.

"I don't think so," Rai said coolly. "At any rate, it's not so much to lend him support but to keep an eye on him."

"What do you mean?" Mira inquired, not lowering her frying pan.

"If he accepts the challenge and goes up there, he will have two capable guides with him: if he cannot stand up to it, they'll bring him back down and he'll go on his way. If he succeeds…"

"Yes??"

"I told you so."

Mira slammed the frying pan down on the table. Porom thought for sure that the table was going to split in two and was surprised that it didn't.

"I can't stand you sometimes!" she yelled.

"Mom?"

Mira and Rai looked over at Porom and realized that she was still in the kitchen with them.

"Yes, honey? What is it?" Mira asked, lowering her voice.

"I… I want to help him."

Mira just shook her head.

"No. I'm sorry, but that is just _completely_ out of the question. You're staying right here, in Mysidia, where you belong."

"But I—"

"No. You're not going, and that's that. Now run along and find your brother while I have chat with your uncle," Mira instructed.

Porom hung her head sadly and walked away.

Rai shed ad rubbed his temple. He sank into a chair.

"Perhaps I should have broken it a bit more gently," he said.

"You shouldn't have broken it at all," Mira snapped. "Mount Ordeals is no place for children."

"Mira," Rai said in a calm voice, "I know that you can't fathom it at all, but I have a great deal of faith in this boy, this Cecil. I hold to what I said before: he's no monster. And what Porom said was correct as well: no one can get to the top without help. But people _have_ mad it in the past.

"The three of us have seen the top," he reminded.

"I remember," Mira agreed. "the two of us and Tellah escorted that one guy to the top. And then we brought him back down. We all made it back here in one piece."

"The light rejected him, though," Rai lamented.

"I remember that too," Mira said with a dreamy, mystified look in her eyes. "The light engulfed us all for a moment, and then pulled away. And then there was a voice…"

"…Saying, 'You are not my son. My light is not for you'," Rai finished. "And then all was still again. It was like the wind was even afraid to blow."

They were both silent for a minute, reminiscing over the moment.

"But it's not the same!" Mira cried, breaking the reverent silence. "That guy we were with was just a thrill-seeker. Do you realize that you want to send my six-year-old children up a dangerous, monster-covered mountain with a murderer?"

"Can't you trust me, Mira? Have I ever given you a reason to think I don't know what I'm doing?"

"I…"

"We all have darkness and light inside us; this man has been acting on his dark side lately; but I sense that he sorely wishes t change that. And I am willing to help him."

"Why? He deserves no help."

"I've heard disturbing rumors from the rest of the world. Have you heard anything from Troia? Or Damcyan?"

"Not really. Why? Has something happened?"

"The crystals the keep safe—"

"My god! He's stolen other crystals as well?"

"No, no, not Cecil. I've only heard whispers of his name here and there; but what I have heard of him as been good."

"Good?! How could have anything good to do with it?" Mira demanded.

"I'm not sure. But a name that _does_ reoccur with alarming frequency is Golbez."

"Golbez? Never heard a name like that. Where do you get this news?"

"Smugglers on the Devil's Road. They're crafty enough to traverse the warped dimensions without harm. However, they are but from Baron; they have limited knowledge of what is happening in the rest of the world. Baron has fallen on difficult times recently, but I'm not sure what is happening."

"And you think that Cecil has something to do with all this?

"Yes; something deep."

"Well, whatever it is, you just keep Palom and Porom out of it. I nearly lost my son to the raid that man executed; I'm not interested in their paths crossing any further."

Rai stood back up and smugly stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"I understand, Mira."

"So you won't, _right_?"

"No, I won't. I'll leave them out as best I can. But if they get involved on their own, don't blame me."

"Promise me, Rai."

"…I promise."

"Thank you, Rai. This means more than you can understand."

"I do understand, a little bit. They're son and daughter to you, but they're niece, nephew, and student to me. I should take better care of them than this."

"Hm… I really should get back to work. I probably need to check on the twins. I hope Palom's sight spell has worn off by now."

"Take care of yourself, Mira. Dharma and Sheila are probably wondering where I am by now; they get so lost and nervous if I'm away for too long. For all I know, Dharma's searched the entire tower for his reading glasses."

"They seem like good interns; they're skilled enough," Mira pointed out.

"Yes, but they're like sheep. I really should get back to them."

Mira showed him to the door, thanked him again for changing his mind about involving the twins, and shut the door again.

He hoped that Palom would forgive him.

As he pulled his hands out of his pockets and regarded his crossed fingers, he hoped that Mira would forgive him too.

_Please understand, little sister,_ he prayed,_ this will be for the best, somehow. All I know is that that boy _must_ become a paladin, and that the twins are fated to help him._

He started out for the tower.

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Yeah, pushiness as well as magical talent run very deep in this family.

Aren't you SO glad that you're not a Faraxhae?! Social tension aside, you have magic to deal with as well!


	3. Changes in Plan

Chapter 2: Changes in Plan

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After a few well placed blows to the head and a bit of flattery on his sister's part, Palom agreed to go to school at the tower the next day. He wanted to keep his sight spell up and play hooky instead; he was in no mood to face the Elder.

"I don't want anything to do with him after what he said," he muttered as he trudged behind Porom.

"He just wants you to help someone in trouble. Is that so awful?" Porom asked.

"You _want_ to help him?"

"If asked, yes."

"So we _have_ to take him up there?"

"Not anymore. Elder promised mom that he would leave us out of it. Besides, he said he really wanted us to keep an eye on him."

"Oh. All of that's a relief."

The twins entered the tower to find the place deserted. Naturally, Porom got to work faster than Palom did; but she pretended not to notice.

Sheila passed by half an hour after they arrived, her nose buried in a book as she walked. She didn't seem to see them. She disappeared through a door and it was quiet again for a long time as the twins continued to pour through their own textbooks.

"What exactly are you studying?" Porom asked her brother after a long time.

"I'm studying the Firaga spell," Palom answered, absorbed in his book.

"You won't be able to learn it for a while; you just perfected the fire spell a few days ago."

"I wanna learn it anyway. What are you learning about?"

"This protect spell. If I can memorize the incantation and find something to practice on, I can master it in a few weeks. I'm also going to learn this Cura spell."

"Sounds useful. Along with the Firaga spell, I'm also going to learn Thundaga and Blizzaga."

"Maybe you should just concentrate on Fira, Thundara, and Blizzara for now. You could kill yourself."

"Oh… maybe you're right," Palom agreed and leafed back a few chapters in his book. After that flaming cannon ball nearly landed on him, he was consciously going out of his way to avoid death. In fact, he had hardly been outside since the raid.

The Elder finally came in to see how they were doing a little later.

"Good morning, you two. How are you doing today?" Rai asked amiably.

"We're doing alright," Porom answered. Palom didn't say anything; he pretended to be interested in his book's index.

"I don't think he's going to talk to you today," Porom informed sadly. "He's still really mad about yesterday."

"I don't blame him. I shouldn't have been so abrupt with it. I'm glad that you at least are showing some compassion for this man. I sense he's walked a hard road recently. Why else would he turn to us—the people he hurt so badly—for help?"

"How did he get here? Do you know?"

"Not really, but some scouts did say there are bits of plank-wood washing up on the shoreline. It's possible that he was shipwrecked somehow."

Palom slammed his book shut angrily. "Serves him right," he said meanly.

"Palom, please," Rai scolded. "We all understand how upset you are over your little brush with death, but you have to get past it. It's been months since the attack: we've rebuilt, all injuries have healed, and things have returned to the way they were. And don't forget that some people weren't as lucky as you."

"I don't care," Palom snapped and chanted his sight spell again. He vanished once more, and his book suddenly floated in the air. It darted off toward a closet door, which opened and then shut with a bang. Dharma, who had just appeared at the top of the stairs, looked on and sighed.

"Is Palom throwing another tantrum? He's certainly prone to them; he's got such a fragile personality," the black mage asked.

"Oh, leave him be, my boy," Rai instructed. "He just needs to cool off a bit, that's all. Now then, I need you to find Sheila for me. I'm expecting a very important guest today; though I'm not sure when he will be here."

"Do the children need to be moved to another room?" Dharma asked.

"No, I do not think so. They should have no need to interfere."

"Yessir," Dharma nodded his head and scurried off to look for his pink-haired friend.

"Who's coming?" Porom asked.

"Oh, you'll see in due course. It's no problem of yours, sweetheart. Just go back to your books. And don't move from the table unless I call you once my guest gets here, understood?"

"Yessir."

"In the meantime, could you try to talk to your brother?"

"I can try," Porom agreed and ran for the closet. She opened it slowly, and it snapped shut again. She pulled the door wide open, before her invisible brother could shut it again, and stepped inside. She closed the door and was left in the dark. It looked empty, but along with the coats, a broom, mop, and Palom, it was a little cramped.

"You're being such a baby," Porom scolded in a random direction. "Why can't you just grow up?"

"I'm over here, Porom," Palom informed angrily from her left. "And I don't care if I am. I'm angry, and that's that."

Porom saw how it was going to have to be. She'd just have to get through to him through his massive ego. (As usual)

"You know," she said, trying not to sound _too_ sweet, "I was pretty flattered by the Elder wanting me to take the daark knight up the mountain."

"Why? I wouldn't want that job for anything."

"But isn't it nice that he thinks we can do it? Of all his students, of all the mages in the city, he asked _us_—you and me—to go on a dangerous, harrowing mission. We're only six, anyway."

"Well… I guess that does say a lot," Palom admitted, definitely sounding flattered.

"And just think: if we went up that mountain, how much stronger would we get? You could learn that Firaga spell as soon as you came back."

"Hey, that's right! I never thought of that. Maybe it wouldn't be quite as awful as I had thought…"

_That's right, big brother,_ Porom thought. _Just soak it up._

"I mean, not that I _would_ go if I was asked, but—"

"I would. It all just sounds too good to pass up. A fool migh pass it up, and I'm not fool."

"Me neither! I may not like him, but if he comes around, I'll go along with him. If the Elder asks, that is."

"No, you certainly aren't a fool," Porom agreed. In her mind, she was laughing herself sick at her brother's pride.

"So then, you'll come out of the closet?" she asked hopefully.

"Can I keep my sight spell?" Palom begged.

"I… Oh, fine. What harm could it do, really?" Porom consented.

The doorknob started turning and the door opened, seemingly by itself.

"Well come on then, sis," said Palom's voice from outside. "It's getting harder to breathe in there. Can you get my book, please?"

"Sure." Porom leaned over and picked up the textbook and then stood and walked out. She held out the book, once again in a random direction. Palom's invisible hand reached out and grabbed it by the spine from her right.

"Oh, puleez," Palom teased. "You're my twin; you can do better than that."

"I'm only six," Porom pointed out testily.

"So? I thought that was a good thing. Cast your sight spell so you can see me," Palom suggested.

"What's the point of being invisible if someone can see you?"

"Oh… Let's just get back to our books," Palom said sullenly and his book floated back to the table.

And so they continued to read their books in silence for the next half hour. Silence descended on the room again; silence was most fitting for the place.

The front door opened slowly, the hinges creaking. The noise echoes through the building, summoning Rai, Dharma and Sheila to the front.

"The Elder's special guest must be here," Porom guessed, not looking up from her book.

"I wonder who it is," Palom said. Porom felt the air around her stir and heard feet walk a few steps; just to be sure, she felt the spot on the bench where he had been and found it empty.

"Palom, what are you doing?"

"I want to see who it is." Palom suddenly gasped and ran back to Porom.

"Palom, what is it?"

"It's him! The dark knight is here!"

Porom gasped too. "Oh no! He's really going to take the test, isn't he? But who'll take him? He won't have guides!"

"He won't have us to protect him! He'll be doomed!" Palom said despairingly. "And I wanted to go up the mountain and get stronger…"

"Shh!" Porom hissed, putting her index finger against her lips. "He's talking to the Elder." She pointed across the room, where there ragged dark knight was speaking to Rai. The two crept a little closer, so they could hear better.

The knight had his head bowed. "I'm truly sorry for all that I have done to your people," he was saying. "Though I know that my meager apologies won't undue the mess I left, nor will they bring the dead back to life. I wish with all my heart that there was something I could do to redeem myself, but I fear it is too late for me."

Rai made an abrupt noise that sounded like a laugh. "Hmph. It's not too late for you, my boy."

"How could that be? I've worn this dark armor for so long—"

"Then I propose that you shed yourself of it."

The knight lifted his head and stared at Rai confused, but at the same time he looked as if he was just daring to hope. "How can I do that?"

Rai approached the man, coming dangerously close to him. He placed a hand on the knight's tarnished, dented shoulder plate. "If you ever hope to rid yourself of this—this dark armor—you must travel to the top of Mount Ordeals, which lies to the east. Climb to the top and take the challenge that lies at the top. If you succeed, you will never have to lift your dark sword again. You will be a warrior of the light: a paladin."

"Another mountain?" The knight sounded exasperated and disappointed. "But my friends are in peril _now_! I don't have time to climb a mountain and come back!"

Rai's look turned stern. "If you want any chance to save them, you will take this risk; you can't defeat the dark force I've heard of with a dark sword," he informed the distraught knight.

"But… Rosa could be dead by then," he lamented. He looked and sounded lost again.

"Who do you think Rosa is?" Porom whispered to her brother.

"His girlfriend, I'll bet," Palom giggled back.

"But then it could just be his sister," Porom pointed out.

The two waited in tense silence for the knight to make his choice. They both rather hoped he did accept the task. If he did, there was still a slim chance they could find a way to guide him.

The knight finally came out of his thoughts and looked Rai in the eye.

"I will go, then. If it is the only way to save my friends, I must go."

Rai clapped his palms together happily. "Wonderful! You've made a wise choice, lad."

"I hope I have… I should try to get some things together before I go, but I don't know how helpful the people here will be."

"I will see that you aren't hindered while you gather any supplies you might need," Rai informed.

"Thank you then, for this chance," the knight said respectfully, bowing low. "A chance for redemption is all that I have wanted for so long, a way to wash away my bloodstained past and try to start again. You have no idea what this really means to me."

"Oh, wait," Rai said as the knight went to go. "I just remembered something important. It is impossible to scale the mountain alone; part of the challenge is setting aside one's own self to work as a team with others. Also, the undead creatures on that mountain will not fall to your dark blade. At any rate, you don't even know the way there: in short, you'll be needing a guide. As such, I'll be sending two skilled students of mine with you."

Palom and Porom felt their spirits sink as Rai said this. Whoever he was going to pick probably wasn't going to be them. Standing still behind Rai, Dharma and Sheila tensed with anticipation, waiting for their boss's unwelcome command.

"Palom! Porom! Come here, please," he called.

Their hearts jumped into their throats. Could it be…? They dashed over to their uncle, and Palom tripped over his long red cape. Porom skidded to a halt before crashing into Rai's legs.

"Yessir?" she asked. "Is there something we can do for you?"

"Porom, where's your brother?"

"He was—" Porom looked around, realizing that Palom was no longer right beside her.

"Oh, that brother of mine! Palom, where did you go?"

Palom chanted his sight spell again and he reappeared nearby. He was floating above the ground, as if he were seated on an invisible stool. His red cape fell to the ground below him.

_Show off,_ Porom thought to herself.

"I'm right here," Palom answered his sister. "I tripped."

The knight stared at the twins in disbelief. "_These_ are the mages? But… they're children."

"I know that; they're twins," Rai informed. "They maybe young, and a bit dysfunctional at times, but they are highly advanced and a bit brave for their own goods. I think they will be fine for the job."

"Well," Palom said loudly, trying to act cool, "all I can say is that you're darned lucky to have me along. After what your guys did to us, you don't really deserve to have our help."

"Palom! Show some manners!" Porom scolded. She turned to the knight and nodded her head politely. "It's nice to meet you, sir. My name is Porom; I'm a white mage. And that kid over there is my brother."

"I'm Palom, and I'm an amazing black magic prodigy!"

"Palom, show some humility," Rai instructed. The boy pouted and let his eyes wander boredly.

"Now that you've all met, it's probably best that you make yourselves ready to leave at first light; the road to Mount Ordeals is a long one," Rai advised. "Sir—your name is Cecil, is it not?"

"Yes, it is."

"Sir Cecil, it might be wise to spend the night here. I've heard they threw you out of the inn yesterday."

Cecil blushed lightly. "Well, I can't say that I blame them. They have every reason to not want me here."

"You mustn't continue to lower yourself like this," Rai said soothingly. "You are making an effort to change. That is all we can reasonably ask of you anymore. Dharma, come over here."

Dharma walked up beside Rai and asked what he needed.

"I want you to escort Sir Cecil around the city so he can stock up on items he'll need. If he goes alone, they'll throw him out again, like they did yesterday. You are both excused, whenever you're ready."

Dharma glared suspiciously at Cecil and cut his glowing golden eyes at him. Just to get out from under the direct gaze, Cecil turned and headed for the door. Dharma followed him closely and they soon disappeared out of the tower.

"Poor Dharma," Sheila murmured, feeling sorry for her cohort.

"Don't stand there, Sheila," Rai said in an authoritative tone. "Make a room ready for our guest. And make it nice; don't be slack or careless out of spite."

Sheila nodded and went on her way. Rai turned to his niece and nephew and stared at them sternly.

"I can't believe you actually picked us!" Palom cried happily. "I thought you told mom you'd leave us out of—"

"Wait a minute!" Porom interrupted. "I heard you promise mom that you'd leave us out of the whole thing! You're breaking your promise!"

"Porom, lower your voice; it's unladylike," Rai scolded.

"But—"

Rai knelt down before her and took her tiny hands in his own. "Porom, I know that this isn't right, and it's a bit confusing to say the least, but I need you to keep this secret from your mother for me. You and your brother just get some things together and be ready to go in the morning when Cecil comes to get you, okay?"

"You've never lied to anyone before. Why now?" she asked.

"I have no idea what is going on, but whatever this man's destiny is, you and Palom have a part to play in it. Will you please just do this for me?"

"Well…"

"Oh, come on, sis; it's not it's the end of the world," Palom said pointedly, setting his feet back on the ground. "I don't see anything so rotten about it. We're getting to go, aren't we?"

"Not with mom's permission," Porom pointed out.

"Are you kidding me, child? Your mother and I almost never got our parent's permission before doing things like this," Rai informed. "In fact, I don't think she's been better behaved than since you were born."

"That's no excuse," Porom whined.

"Porom, _please_. You have to do this, whether you think it's the right thing to do or not. I'm giving you permission, as your Elder and your uncle; that should be enough, don't you think?"

"Maybe…"

"Run along, dear. You and Palom can have the rest of the day off. Use it wisely."

"Yahoo!" Palom crowed and ran for the door. "I'm _so_ out of here!" He was out of the door in the space of a few seconds.

Rai laughed, amused with Palom's antics for once. "You should go and catch up with him; you might never find him"

"Okay," Porom said sadly with a nod of her head. She ran to get her textbook, but then decided to leave it. The way she figured it, she would be back in less than a week. She ran for the door, intent on catching up with Palom before he got too far ahead of her.

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After a while, freedom got boring for the twins. They were walking around in the square, trying to think of something to do, or anything they might need before they started off.

"Hey, Porom, look! There's Dharma and Cecil!" Palom cried, pointing across the road. "Look at all the stuff they've got; they must have bought 100 potions."

"I guess so," Porom agreed, assessing the number of bags the two carried. "Let's go see if we can help them."

"Sure."

The two ran across the road and onto the sidewalk where Dharma and Cecil were arguing over the cost of all the things they had bought.

"I never asked you to pay for it all," Cecil was saying, sounding like he was losing patience. "And I can pay you back every gil, and then some."

"Do you think these people want your money?" Dharma snapped.

"I—Oh, look who it is," Cecil said when he saw the twins. "How are you doing since I saw you this morning?" he asked.

"We're doing pretty good." Palom said cheerily without meaning to sound cheery.

"We saw you carrying all those bags, and we wondering if we could help you carry them," Porom offered. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I think we've got it under control, kids," Dharma insisted. One of his bags suddenly broke open and the contents, several potions and some vegetables, spilled onto the sidewalk. He muttered a swear and tried to pick up his lost items without dropping his other things as well. The twins started laughing.

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Dharma?" Palom asked.

"You guys pick those things up," Dharma ordered shortly. "You can carry it all in your capes; I think that should be fine. Just don't get in our way, okay?"

"Of course not," Porom answered as she and Palom knelt to pick up the spilled items. Cecil knelt down to help them.

"We don't need your help," Palom snapped, pushing the knight's hand away.

"That's what Dharma said," Porom reminded. Dharma snorted indignantly at her. When Palom still refused Cecil's help she smiled sweetly at him.

"I still need help," she informed. Cecil smiled weakly and helped her pile things into her green cape. When they had finished, the four of them walked back to the tower.

"Sir, I want to apologize about my brother's manners," Porom said to Cecil as they got closer to the tower. "He's really very nice, once you get to know him."

"He has every right to not trust me."

"Well, one of the flaming cannon balls almost hit him. He's been trying to learn the Firaga spell just so he could throw it at you a few times. It's comical," Porom informed.

"A friend was a bit of a prodigy herself," Cecil said vaguely. "She was five when she started her training… How old are you?"

"Palom and I just turned six. We've been studying magic since we were four."

"_Four_?! You're more advanced than I thought! Rosa didn't learn cure until she was five-and-a-half."

"Rosa? You said something about her earlier this morning. Who is she?"

"She's a very dear friend of mine; she was kidnapped and I mean to rescue her. But it seems impossible now."

"I'm sure you'll be able to save her. She's a white mage, huh? I'd like to meet her."

"I think Rosa would really like you; you're such a sweet child," Cecil agreed. "Your patience and compassion surprise me; most everyone else doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Hey! Mister Cecil," Palom called over his shoulder.

"Hm? Yes?"

"What did your mom and dad have to say to you when you got home, huh? I'll bet they were pretty mad at you, huh?" Palom guessed.

"Uh…" Was all that Cecil had time to say. Dharma interrupted to say that the twins would have to go on home with a few of the other bags so he and Cecil could continue their shopping. The twins grudgingly took some of the heavy bags and walked away to the tower.

"I wonder what he was going to say," Porom mused.

"He probably got grounded," Palom answered, hauling a particularly heavy bag on the sidewalk "Man, I wish you knew the Float spell," he added.

"He's a grown man, Palom; he wouldn't get grounded."

"Sure; whatever."

"You know, we still have to pack some stuff for the journey," Porom remembered.

"Oh yeah, I guess so. What all do we need, again?"

"Extra clothing, our fighting staffs, some food—"

"Why bother with the staffs? We stink with them; let's just take some extra ethers."

"We're bound to run out eventually. It's always good to have a backup plan. Let's hurry and get these back to the tower. If we're away for too long, mom might get suspicious."

22222222222

I just realized where I got the name Dharma for the Elder's black mage assistant: Dharma is the name of my best friend's dog! I just thought that sounded like a good name for him; I'd forgotten where I learned it until just now.

Now, off to the mountain!


	4. The Adventure Begins

I'm setting Rydia aside for a little while

Chapter 3: The Adventure Begins

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Porom woke up early in the morning from a terrible dream. It hadn't really been about anything in particular; in fact, as soon as she opened her eyes, she forgot what had happened in her dream.

_I hate it when that happens,_ she thought, rubbing her eyes. She looked around her dark room, wanting to go back to sleep and dream a better dream.

But she had things that she had to do: Cecil was coming to pick them up at 7:00, and she had no idea what time it was. Feeling a little hungry, she decided to go in the kitchen to look at the big grandfather clock and get a snack while she was at it.

Being so small, Porom was able to walk throughout the house as quietly as a cat. She walked into the kitchen and pulled a chair over to the counter as quietly. When it was in place, she climbed on top of it and then got up on the counter to reach the brown and white porcelain cookie jar, pushed back against the wall, out of Palom's hungry reach.

She sat on the counter, her legs dangling over the edge, munching on an oatmeal cookie. She squinted at the tall, grand clock across the room, trying to see where the hands fell. In the hazy blue, pre-dawn light, the black hands stood out just enough for her to see. It was a quarter to six.

She still had an hour and fifteen minutes left to get ready; she was tempted to spend half of it asleep. But she still needed to get dressed and get something better to eat than an oatmeal cookie.

_An oatmeal cookie with raisins, perhaps?_ She wondered vaguely. _It's certainly an improvement on a plain oatmeal cookie._

She also had to wake up Palom without waking up Mira.

She walked silently down the hallway, cramming the last bite of her cookie into her mouth. She pushed the last door open and stepped inside, stubbing her toe into something and gasping sharply, trying not to scream. She kept her eyes focused on the floor, trying to find clear spots to step on. She wished Palom would clean his room more often.

She finally reached her brother's bed and gazed down at him. When he was asleep, he looked rather cute; he wasn't speaking or causing trouble or anything like that. So Porom was loathe to wake him up at this early hour. Nonetheless, she yanked the blanket off the bed and threw it onto the floor. Palom sat up with a start and gazed around groggily. When he saw Porom, he moaned and fell back onto his pillow.

"Go away, Porom," he muttered. "It's too early. I don't care if you had a bad dream; go back to your own bed."

"It's 5:45, Palom. Cecil will be here in only a little more than an hour. At least get dressed and then you can go back to sleep," Porom asked.

"I'll travel in my night clothes," he answered, though his muffled, drowsy sentence wasn't easy to understand.

Porom gave up with a sigh. "Well, if you do get up, don't wake up mom. I'm going to eat breakfast." With that she left the room again to get more oatmeal cookies, a filling if not nutritionally void meal.

She was sitting at the table, eating her fifth cookie in the dark, when she saw her brother enter the room. He was rubbing his eyes and he looked annoyed.

"I thought you were going back to sleep," Porom noted and reached into the cookie jar for her sixth cookie.

"I tried too," Palom growled. "But after you woke me up, I couldn't get back to sleep. So I figured I'd come join you. What's for breakfast?" he asked, climbing into the chair opposite his sister. She nudged the jar across the table to him.

"Oatmeal cookies," she answered, her voice muffled by cookie crumbs. Palom reached into the jar and pulled out a raisin-studded cookie.

"Not much of a breakfast," he complained, but bit into his cookie hungrily.

"We're not allowed to use the stove, and I don't know if I'd have enough time to make a descent breakfast anyway. Maybe Cecil will have something better for us. Half the things he and Dharma bought yesterday were food items."

"I sure hope so"

"I don't really care. I love oatmeal cookies. And they really fill you up because the main ingredient is oats," Porom explained, savoring her cookie.

The twins dressed and packed their last supplies in half an hour, and Porom spent another ten minutes convincing Palom that he would need his fire rod at some point. He finally agreed to take it, but didn't see the use in it.

"Hey, Porom, I feel kinda weird."

"Really? How so?"

"I feel a little funny about not telling mom about this."

"It's called guilt, Palom."

"Oh, so _this_ is that guilt thing that Dharma keeps talking about."

"I feel kinda guilty about it too; but I said that I wouldn't tell her, so I'm not going to. Cecil should be here really soon. We should go wait by the door," she suggested and headed for the front door. Palom followed her and they both sat down next to do the door to wait…

Porom's eyes jolted open when she heard a soft knock on the front door, and she realized that she had dozed off. She stood back up and opened the door, not surprised to see the white haired knight on the step. He wasn't wearing his heavy armor this morning, but wore a black breastplate over a white shirt. His hair was soft and feathery instead of stringy with dried sea water; he must have had a bath. A heavy looking backpack was on his back. Full as she was, Porom wondered if there was anything good to snack on in it.

"Good morning, Porom. Are you and Palom ready to go? Or do you need a few more minutes?"

"No, we're ready," Porom assured him.

"Where is he?"

"He's right in here," she said and pointed to her brother, sound asleep against the door frame. Cecil stuck his head into the house and stared understandingly at the black mage.

"It's a pretty early start," Cecil apologized. "I hated to have to start out at the hour, but I didn't want to be seen leaving the city with two children. People might think I was trying to kidnap you. Besides that, the Elder requested it; I'm not sure why."

"Oh," was Porom's flat answer.

"Do you think he'd mind if I carried him?" Cecil asked.

"You can try, but he might be really mad when he wakes up," Porom warned.

"Well the sun's about to rise; we really need to get going," Cecil insisted. He stepped inside the door and scooped Palom up in his arms. He stood still for a moment while the boy squirmed with start, but as soon as he settled he walked back out the door.

"Can you carry both your bags?" he asked.

"I think so; we're traveling pretty light," Porom answered, grabbing her brother's traveling bag from the floor and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Great. Let's get moving, shall we?"

Porom stole a wary glance at her mother's bedroom door, to make sure she wasn't coming out, and headed out after Cecil. She shut the door silently

and the house was still once more.

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Mira sat up in bed, still half asleep. She could have sworn that she heard a door close somewhere. The faint light coming through her east-facing window said that the sun was just rising; this late in the year, the sun took it's time coming up, but was never in any rush to come back down.

It was too early to get up. Palom and Porom would still be sound asleep as well. Mira set her head back down and was snoring again in less than a minute.

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Consciousness returned to Palom before he opened his eyes, and he felt strange. It was a sensation not unlike riding a four-legged animal.

He opened his eyes slowly and found himself being held by a pair of strong arms, clad in white fabric. Then he noticed the black breastplate and knew exactly who was carrying him.

He sat up and looked around, trying to figure out where he was. All he could see was a grassy plain, dotted by small forests, and surrounded by the sea.

"Where am I?! What happened?! Why are you carrying me?! Where' my sister?! If you've hurt her, you'll be sorry!!"

"Palom, calm down," said a familiar voice on the ground. Palom snapped his neck down to look and saw Porom staring at him like he was insane.

"I'm right here. We're on our way to Mount Ordeals, remember? You were asleep when Cecil came to pick us up, so he's been carrying for about four hours," Porom informed. "Now then, don't you have something to say to him?"

"Yeah, I do," Palom said crossly and pushed away from Cecil so hard that he nearly fell out of his arms and onto the ground. "Put me down and don't touch me again," he demanded.

"Suite yourself," Cecil agreed and set the boy on his feet. He backed away, brushing off his arms and cape as if he were covered in icky dust.

"I was thinking more like 'thank you'," Porom corrected.

"Like I'd ever thank him for something!"

"He's just trying to help us, you know."

"I don't care!"

"Say thank you now!"

"No way!"

"Hey! Time out!" Cecil yelled, ending their argument. "This has got to end."

Palom stomped his foot on the grass. "You'll never get a 'thank you' out of me!"

"When did I ask for one? I'm just saying that so long as we're traveling together, we've got to keep the fighting to a minimum. We'll never be able to reach the mountain—let alone climb it—if you're going to argue."

Porom glared at her twin. "That might be a little hard with him around."

"It's even harder with _you_ around," Palom countered.

"Stop that, both of you. I've seen the rest of the world fighting with each other, and I won't tolerate it from you," Cecil said in an uncharacteristically sharp voice. The twins were both a bit frightened.

"We're sorry," Porom apologized. "We didn't know."

"_She's_ sorry," Palom corrected. "I'm not sorry for anything. I'm going home." He ran off toward the city, which loomed far away on the horizon.

"Palom, wait! Come back!" Cecil hollered after him. Palom turned back around and stuck his tongue out at him. Then he turned back and kept running for the city.

"Porom, will he come back?" Cecil asked.

"I hope he doesn't. I am so mad at him right now," Porom fumed.

They were both quiet for a few minutes.

"You want a ride? You've been walking for four hours," Cecil offered.

"…Yeah. That would be nice," she agreed. Cecil scooped her up and began to walk again.

"You can get some more sleep, if you want," he suggested.

"Will you be alright? You're already carrying so much stuff."

"I've carried heavier in the past; I'll be fine," Cecil assured her. "As I said, feel free to go back to sleep."

Porom yawned and rested her head against his shoulder. As odd as it was, she somehow felt safe.

22222222222

"Rai! Rai! Rai, where are you?!"

Rai had been expecting Mira for some time now. And he still didn't have an explanation for the twin's absents that Mira would believe.

All he could do was rush out to meet her and pretend to be as shocked and terrified as she was.

"Mira, what's the matter?" he asked, coming to the stairs and running down to his sister. She sprinted down the isle and didn't stop until she ran into him Then she collapsed in his arms, sobbing.

"Rai, they're gone! Palom and Porom are gone! I have no idea where they've gone! What are we going to do?" she cried.

"What? They're gone?! You have no idea where they've gone?"

"Not a clue! Rai, what are we going to do? We have to find them!"

"Mira, Mira, calm down. They're six years old; they can't have gone far, particularly on a school day. We can find them in no time, I'm sure," he comforted.

"But…_ why_? Why would they just leave without telling me??"

Rai felt terrible about going behind his little sister's back. He wanted so badly to tell her what was happening, to tell her where her only children were, and that they would both be okay. But if he did, she'd kill all three of them, plus Cecil, and maybe even Dharma and Sheila. As much as it pained him, he had to keep the situation secret from her.

"I wish I knew, sister. I wish I knew…"

22222222222

Porom glanced over Cecil's shoulder to look for monsters; so far they hadn't encountered anything, which Cecil said was remarkable. However, she did see a streak of brown, red and white coming closer and closer. She let out an annoyed groan.

"Porom? What's the matter?"

"Palom's coming," she answered flatly.

"Really? That's great! I've been wondering how we'd tackle the undead on the mountain. Between my dark sword and your white magic, I didn't know if we had enough power to—"

"He's been such a pill. I don't fee like working with him," Porom mumbled into his shoulder.

"I sort of know the feeling," Cecil told her. "My best friend did some pretty rotten stuff to me recently as well."

"Did you forgive him?"

"I, uh… I'm still trying to figure that out," Cecil admitted.

"Oh."

"But you _should_ forgive him; he's your brother. And compared to what some people I care about have done to me in the recent past, Palom hasn't done anything to you."

"What have they done to you?"

"Maybe I'll tell you some other time. We really should wait up for your brother, you know."

"Oh, I guess so."

"Wait…" Cecil paused and Porom felt him tense. He looked around nervously, as if he were expecting something.

"Cecil, what is it?"

"Something's not right," he said cryptically. He set Porom down and pulled his big black sword out of its sheath.

"Monsters?" Porom guessed.

"I think so. Keep your eyes open."

Porom gulped and went over the incantation for the cure spell. She tried to remember the words for Cura, but couldn't remember the last few words off the top of her head so she forgot about it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw something move in the grass. When she turned to look, there was nothing there.

"Did you see something?" Cecil asked.

"Over there," Porom answered, pointing to the spot, "but it's gone now."

"It'll be back, whatever it is."

The grass rustled behind them and they spun around to see; it stilled. The same thing was happening on their left and right. Whatever was coming, there were a bunch and it had them surrounded. Porom drew back closer to Cecil, where she would be safest, and began the first part of the cure spell, just to be safe.

"Porom, watch out!" the knight cried and put his sword up to block the monster that lunged at him. Porom let out a tactless shriek of surprise and fear. What could she say? At her tender age, she'd never been attacked by a monster before.

Cecil knocked the monster away several yards, and they both saw that their attackers were run of the mill goblins. They wouldn't be so tough to slay. But while Cecil was dealing with another goblin, a third sprung at Porom and pushed her away from her protector. It pinned her to the ground while the other two goblins crowded around Cecil, cutting them off from each other.

"Get off me!" Porom yelled and punched the goblin in the head as hard as she could. The monster went sprawling with a snarl, but didn't seem to be fazed. And she had put so much behind that punch that she felt a little weak. Her only chance was to scramble back to Cecil—only to be knocked away from him again?

Oh, this was hopeless!

While she hesitated, making her choice, the goblin pounced on her again and she was stuck.

"Help me! Someone help me!" she screamed, even though she didn't think anyone was available to help her.

"FIRE!"

The activating word for the fire spell echoed like thunder for a moment. Balls of fire suddenly materialized in the air above them and rained down to earth. There was one ball of fire for each goblin, and each one was hit perfectly. They all dropped like dead flies and the battle was over.

"Jeez; you're both useless without me," scolded a familiar voice. "If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have left."

At some point, Palom had arrived on the scene and cast the fire spell. As angry as she was, Porom had never been happier to see him in her life.

"I thought you were going to take care of my sister," the mage said to Cecil. "Now I'm gonna have to come along to make sure she's okay. She's the only sister I've got. She may be really annoying sometimes, but I don't want her to die." He walked over to Porom and helped her to her feet.

"Are you okay? You looked really scared," he asked. He sounded genuinely concerned.

Porom nodded, yes. After a few seconds of regarding each other in silence, she hugged her brother with tears falling down her face.

"I'm sorry I was so mean to you earlier," she sobbed. "I was just mad; I didn't mean for it to go so far."

"I know," Palom said casually, still trying to act cool. "I was kind of acting like a jerk; I guess I deserved it. I'll try to shape up. I promise."

"So you're coming with us now?" Porom guessed, drying her tears.

"Well yeah; didn't you hear me a second ago? If that guy can't make sure you're okay, I'm gonna have to look after you myself."

Off to the side, Cecil watched the twin's heartfelt reunion ruefully. He turned his gaze to Mount Ordeals, looming ever in the east. The distance that still separated him from the top frustrated him to no end, and his darker side complained that he would have been half way to the top if he didn't have to work with these fickle, dysfunctional twins.

But his good, rational side took over and drove that thought away. Cecil liked kids, and he certainly liked to think he was good with them. Traveling and protecting a most extraordinary child in the past had taught him the kind of patience needed to take care of a child. As hard as it could be when traveling with small children, Cecil enjoyed the kind of company that only they could provide. Besides, the children he found himself traveling with were no ordinary children. The first was the last of the summoners, and now he had mage prodigies on his hands.

_Rydia was just a year older than they,_ Cecil realized with a twinge of agony. _She was so talented, so smart, so kind…_

He looked back at the twins; they were whispering with each other about something.

_I hope that she survived the shipwreck, somehow. I hope they _all_ survived. But is there any hope?_

He carefully approached the twins, afraid of what Palom might try to do. The sound of his footsteps got their attention; naturally, Palom was watching him suspiciously.

"You truly are an amazing mage," he praised, kneeling down to the boy's height. "If you hadn't stepped in when you did, who knows where we'd be."

"I know," Palom agreed. "If it weren't for me, you probably would have been killed by those things."

Porom whacked him again.

"Well, I don't know about that, but you're certainly very talented and we would love it if you came with us up the mountain. Will you come?" Cecil offered.

"Sure I'll come. But you've got to take better care of us. Understand?"

"Of course." Cecil held out his hand to him. "What do you say, lad? Truce?"

Palom considered the offer for a moment before accepting and shaking Cecil's hand.

"Fine, truce. But only until we get back to Mysidia, and then I hate you, like everyone else, okay?"

Porom whacked him again.

"I can abide by that," Cecil agreed. "And Porom, keep the hitting to a minimum, okay? Save your hits for the monsters," he advised.

"Sure," she agreed.

"Now then, that mountain isn't going to come to us. We'd better get going," he pointed out. "In another hour, we'll stop and have lunch, okay?"

"Okay," the twins said in unison.

"Great. Let's go." With that, he picked his pack up from the ground where it had fallen and he started off again. The twins ran after him.

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My brother and I have this really weird comic-like thing based on inside jokes about the FFIV story. There are a bunch of running gags, like break-dancing hovercrafts. But my favorite running gag is Porom's obsession with mongeese. (The real word is mongooses, but I think mongeese sounds more logical. XD) You see, it all started with the battle with Captain Baigan in Baron castle: he's part snake, so Porom proposes that they attack him with killer mongeese she found hanging around the castle.

Porom loves her mongeese, but they freak Palom out to no end. He doesn't get it. T.T

One note about the format, every time I post a new chapter, the line, "I'm setting Rydia aside for a while" keeps showing up. That was the first line from the prologue, and now it's just glued there or something. So I do have to go and fix it as an export document. It's just a minor technicality that is easily solved.

Also, my mom just had surgery this morning to remove a calcium stone from one of her salivary glands. It was a total success, and she's feeling much better than she has been. Let's all have a bog round of applause for her!


	5. A Helping Hand

Chapter 4: A Helping Hand

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The sun had almost vanished beyond the horizon. Only a quarter of the sky was still bright; it was like fire against a blanket of dark blue. But soon it would be completely dark and the three-man party would have to stop for the night.

Cecil had been warily keeping his eye on the rapidly sinking sun; they were only about a mile away from the base of the mountain, but he wasn't sure if the twins could keep pace with him if he hurried.

"We'll have to stop soon," he announced. "If we're lucky, we might be able to get really close to the mountain before the light's gone."

Palom made a dismissive noise. "We can keep going after dark; if I put up a fire spell, we'll have plenty of light. Maybe we can even get started on the mountain and not have to stop at all."

"But we've been walking all day," Porom whined. "I'm tired and hungry; I want to stop as soon as we can."

Sensing another argument building, Cecil decided to compromise with them.

"How about this: I don't think we'll be able to make it to the base of the mountain before the sun sets completely. However, instead of pitching camp as soon as the light is gone, Palom can cast him fire spell and we'll make it to the mountain. But we won't start up the mountain until tomorrow morning. This way, each of you gets what you want. How does that sound to you?"

"What about you?" Porom asked. "What do you want?"

"I just want to get up the mountain as soon as possible and come back down with no one dead. I think this compromise will suit everyone's needs: Palom gets to light the way with his fire spell, Porom gets to bed at a reasonable stopping point, and I get to the base of the mountain on the first day. That sounds good to me; how 'bout you?"

"Sure."

"That's sounds good, I guess."

"Swell. Palom, you can go ahead and cast the spell, if you want; the light's about to go out."

Palom beamed and chanted his spell. An orb of light appeared in his hand, hovering over his palm. It was like a beacon in the gathering darkness, casting wavering shadows. With the new light, the three started off once more.

"If you're in such a hurry to save your girlfriend," Palom asked Cecil, "why don't you just run to the top? You'd get there a lot faster if you had left us in Mysidia and gone on your own, you know."

"That's right," Porom added. "You wouldn't have had to bring so much stuff and you wouldn't have to worry about us getting hurt and things like that."

"Okay, first of all, Rosa _isn't_ my girlfriend," Cecil corrected. "And second of all, I've had a lot of experience with kids. I don't mind so much, really. In fact, I think it's made me healthier."

"Whose kids? Yours?" Palom asked.

"I don't have kids," Cecil informed.

"So whose kids were they?"

"It was just one kid; she was an orphan and I took care of her for a while."

"Where is she now?" Porom asked.

"I… I wish I knew. I hope she's okay."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If she is alive, I'm sure that she's alright."

The twins didn't ask questions again for the rest of the walk. Another half hour brought them to the base of the mountain at last. Cecil took command of setting the camp, telling the twins to starts up a fire and decide on something for dinner while he built the tent. The two scurried about the area, looking for fire wood, but kept their eyes one Cecil, who was wrestling with the tent.

"He seems depressed," Porom noted.

"I know. Do you think it was about the girl he was talking about?"

"Probably. Think there's anything we can do to help him?"

"Well, we've found plenty of firewood. Let's put it down and see if he needs help with the tent," Palom suggested.

"Really? You want to help him now?"

"It's just kinda wild to see him sad. It would be nice if he perked up a little," he admitted.

They dropped their firewood in a pile a safe distance from the tent and ran over to Cecil.

"Can we help you, Cecil? It looks like you're having some trouble," Porom asked.

"I could use some help," he agreed. "I'm used to having another person or two to help me. Can you guys set up the two poles on the end?"

"We'll try; we've never set a tent before," Palom said nervously, and raced to the other side of the half-made scaffolding. There were four long poles that were spiked into the ground, and a big sheet-like cover was placed over them. What Cecil had managed on his own—the first and half of the second poles in the front—didn't look like it was going to be much of anything. Though after another ten minutes, the tent was finally done and ready to be slept in.

"I didn't think you could make a tent out of something that looked like a bunch of sticks poking out of the ground," Palom said, sounding impressed, as he started the fire.

"It's pretty amazing how you can make so much out of what seems like nothing, isn't it?" Cecil agreed.

"Cecil," Porom asked, "did we upset you earlier? You seem so sad."

"Well, maybe just a little bit," the knight admitted. "It's been a rough couple of months. My best friend betrayed me, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," Porom agreed.

"I don't," Palom complained. (He hadn't been with them for that conversation.)

"Well, he did; he was brainwashed, I think, by a man named Golbez. They kidnapped Rosa a few weeks ago. My remaining three companions and I left the kingdom of Fabul by ship to return to Baron; we needed an airship, you see.

"However, our ship was attacked by Leviathan. The ship was completely destroyed, and I don't know if anyone else on board survived."

"Was the kid you were talking about on the ship?" Palom asked tentatively.

"She was," the knight answered bluntly.

"It explains a lot," Palom stated. "I expected you to be kinda mean and grouchy. You're actually pretty nice. What was her name, anyway?"

"Her name was Rydia."

"That's a really pretty name," Porom said sweetly.

"Yeah… You're probably both starving, huh?"

"You bet!" Palom agreed. "I've never been hungrier in my life!"

"What kind of food do we have left?" Porom asked.

"Mostly vegetables and bread," Cecil cautioned, reaching for his bag. "It's hard to transport meat on long trips like this; I'm sorry."

"That's okay; we like vegetables alright," Palom said brightly.

"And I love bread; it's one of my favorite foods," Porom added.

"Then I think we'll do well for supper," Cecil said, sounding relieved. "It was harder with Rydia; she was always picky with her vegetables. It drove Rosa crazy."

The twins both smiled. It sounded like the life of a real family.

_I hope he finds them,_ Porom thought.

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Sheila knocked on Mira's door, hoping that she was home. The door opened with a creaking sound to reveal a weary-looking Mira. Her violet eyes were red and her dress was covered with wet patches.

"Um, good evening, Mira," Sheila greeted shyly. "Do you have a minute? Dharma found something."

Mira stood up straight. "He did? What is it? Come right on in, please," she said excitedly, ushering Sheila into the house. The white mage came in and headed for the kitchen, where Mira always took visitors.

"Can I get you something, Sheila?" Mira asked.

"Um…" Sheila gazed around the kitchen until she spied the brown and white cookie jar on the counter. "Are there any cookies in there?" she asked.

"Oh, yes there are. Oatmeal and oatmeal raisin; would you like one or two?"

"Yes, with some milk. I haven't eaten well all day," Sheila informed. "We've searched the entire city, top to bottom, looking for the twins. We can't find them anywhere."

This was a small lie, since she knew exactly where they had gone. It was almost 9:00, the sun having long disappeared. She wondered vaguely how far they had gotten before the sun had gone down.

However, as much as they respected Rai, she and Dharma were convinced that the twins were in danger; if not from Cecil, from the monsters they were sure to encounter. So they were going to give Mira as many clues as it took for her to figure out what had happened, without letting the Elder know that they had given them.

"If you haven't found them anywhere, what did Dharma find?" Mira asked.

Sheila reached inside her white robe and pulled out two magic textbooks. One was on black magic, and the other was on white magic.

"They left their textbooks in the tower on a school day," she explained. "The Elder always gives them homework for which they need these books."

"What are you insinuating, Sheila?" Mira asked, pouring her guest a glass of milk.

"I'm saying that the twins left their books in the tower, instead of bringing them home for homework. That means that they weren't given homework yesterday; either that or they decided to blow it off, which isn't like Porom to do. Yet here is her book."

"That _is_ strange," Mira agreed. She took the cookie jar from the counter and opened the lid.

"Hm…"

"What is it, Mira?"

"This jar was almost full yesterday. Now there are only a few cookies left inside."

"What do you think that means?" Sheila asked, acting confused.

"We'll see," Mira informed, sounding much more stable than she had all day.

_An idea is beginning to form in her head,_ Sheila thought to herself. _The unsure, almost impossible idea that Rai broke his promise and sent the twins to the mountain. When she figures this out, I wonder what will happen?_

22222222222

"Oh dear," Cecil muttered. He hadn't expected the wall of fire that blocked the path up the mountain. It was a good thing he had a black mage with him.

"Palom, can you do something about this?"

The boy stepped up with his chest puffed out like a bird. He rubbed his hands together gleefully and grinned.

"That's my queue then," he said proudly. He held his hands up to the wall of fire and began to chant.

"BLIZZARD!"

His voice echoed through the mountain, and an icy breeze brushed across the path. Snow appeared out of nowhere above the wall and rained down onto it. The snow melted into water, which put the flames out in under a minute.

"_That_ is why they call me a prodigy," Palom informed cockily. Porom whacked him over the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You need to learn some humility. The Elder isn't vain like you."

"Let's just keep going, okay?" Cecil suggested, jerking a thumb at the clear path.

So the three kept to the path for the next hour or so. There was much to look at and much to talk about, and the twins never ran out of questions about the scenery or about Cecil's travels.

"Yesterday, I asked you if your parents were mad at you for stealing our crystal and Dharma didn't give you a chance to answer," Palom remembered. "What _did _they say?"

"I don't have parents. I mean, I'm sure that I do, but I have no idea who they are. I was raised by the king."

"Really? That's pretty cool."

"But he's been acting strange lately. I knew that something was wrong when he sent us for the crystal, but I was too afraid at the time to stand up and say that it was wrong."

"So you ran away?" Porom guessed.

"More like defected. But, theoretically, yes, I ran away. It was difficult, because I didn't want to question the man who raised me; he's the only father I've ever known."

"Oh. We don't know who our father is either," Porom said.

"What happened to him?" Cecil asked.

The twins both shrugged.

_KERPOW!!_

The ground shook and the twins fell down on the ground. Cecil almost lost his balance, but stayed upright. Up ahead, at the top of an incline, smoke and dust was rising up in clouds. Someone was coughing and muttering curses under his breath.

"Who do you suppose did that?" Porom wondered.

"Hey…" Cecil looked excited about something. "I know that muttering," he said and sprinted up the incline. The twins both followed him.

An old man stood at the top with his back to the party. He wore a billowing purple cloak, and his wild gray hair stuck out all over the place. In one hand he carried a wooden staff.

"Darned incantation," the old man was muttering. "Why can't I remember it? I used to know the Firaja spell like the back of my…"

Cecil's eyes were the size of tea saucers. He seemed to almost not believe what he was seeing.

"Tellah? Is that you?" he asked.

The old man whirled around to see who was addressing him. He had a long gray beard and purple-lensed glasses that looked like giant bug eyes. His gray eyebrows arced when he saw them.

"Cecil? Can it really be you, lad? Why, what are you doing here? Have you come for the Meteor spell as well?" the man asked.

"Come for… what? No, I've been sent for a test which lies at the top of the mountain. What are _you_ doing here?"

"I've come looking for the—wait, now. Who are these youngsters? They're a bit young to be up here, aren't they?" The man cast a bony finger at the confused twins.

"Oh, forgive me," Cecil said and cleared his throat. "Palom, Porom, this is Tellah the sage. He's an acquaintance of mine, though I haven't seen him in about two months."

The twins gasped in surprise.

"Tellah? You mean _the_ Tellah?" Palom asked.

"The great sage that mom and the Elder are always talking about!" Porom added.

Palom rushed over to Tellah and started bouncing up and down. "I can't believe that it's really you! I've heard about you my whole life, but I never thought Id get to meet you up here! This is my lucky day!" he exclaimed. Porom marched up and whacked him again.

"Calm down. You're embarrassing me," she scolded. She cleared her throat for emphasis and curtsied politely to the sage. "My name is Porom, and that annoying one over there is my twin, Palom," she greeted.

"Mysidian children," Tellah noted with concern in his voice. "Whatever happened to Edward and Rydia?" he asked Cecil. "That spoony pansy didn't get so annoying that you traded him for little children, did he?"

"Um…"

"Oh, insults can come later. How are they?" Tellah inquired.

"I, they… Both were lost in a shipwreck a few days ago," Cecil informed sadly.

Tellah's eyebrows rose so high that his eyes showed over the tops of his glasses. "Both?! That's just… that's terrible," he said. "And you washed up on Mysidian shores, eh? Talk about ironic."

"Perhaps. Even though few of the people are willing to forgive me for what I've done, the Elder has given me a second chance," Cecil explained. "There is some sort of test at the summit of this mountain, and if I pass it I will become a paladin. Or so he tells me."

"Huh. And he sent mere children to guard you? A fine idea," Tellah scolded, regarding the twins.

"I'm not just a kid, you know," Palom informed hotly. "I am a great magical prodigy. In fact, I am the most advanced student of my age." Porom glared at him and threatened to hit him again. He cringed and added, "My _wonderful_ sister is also a prodigy, by the way." Porom lowered her fist but not her glare.

"Ha. Someone as young as you couldn't possibly know a spell higher than the fire spell," Tellah dismissed. "Unless, of course, you're of the Faraxhae family. A fine old line, those Faraxhaes; talent is in their being."

"We _are_; we're Palom and Porom Faraxhae, sir," Porom informed.

"Surely you've heard of us," Palom insisted. "We're famous."

"No, I haven't. But now that I look at you, you do seem to have that look about you," Tellah admitted. "You, lad, you have those eyes."

"Huh?" Palom asked.

"Violet eyes are a trademark symbol of the Faraxhae family, particularly in boys; they are the only Mysidian family to have violet eyes in their gene pool."

"Really? Cool!"

"I suppose that I owe you two an apology; I didn't expect to see such young people in a treacherous place like this," Tellah admitted.

"What about Rydia?" Cecil asked. "She was—_is_—only a year older than them and she's been all kinds of places where normal children shouldn't go. The waterway, Antlion cave, Mount Hobbs—"

"Wait a minute, what? I knew about the water way, but I never heard about any of this," Tellah said.

"You shouldn't have left so suddenly," Cecil scolded. "Which brings me back to my original question: what are you doing up here?"

"Oh, I remember. I was saying that I've come up here seeking the spell called Meteor," Tellah answered. "Remember how I've sworn vengeance on Golbez for Anna's death a few months ago?" Cecil nodded, though Tellah didn't pause. "Well, I don't have the power on my own to stop him, so I've come to learn Meteor; with the power behind that spell, I could blast that bastard to smithereens!" Tellah cried.

The twins looked horrified.

"But the Meteor spell is forbidden!" Porom cried.

"Even I know that," Palom added.

"If a man of your age were to—"

"Don't call me old and I won't call you little," Tellah interrupted. "For the record, I am well aware of the dangers this spell holds. But I'm willing to take the risks, if it means that my precious Anna will be avenged."

"Perhaps you should come with us," Cecil suggested. "Your magic should be a great help to us. We've seen no monsters just yet, but I'm sure they will come. And who knows: maybe you'll find your spell at the top of the mountain."

"A splendid idea, my old friend," Tellah agreed. "Let's be off, then!" He tapped the end of his staff on the ground twice like a gavel.

_Hisssssss..._

Everyone tensed. Cecil drew his sword and Tellah moved his staff into a defensive position.

"Palom, what was that for? Can't you see how it freaked everyone out?" Porom scolded.

"What? You think _I_ did that? Porom, I am shocked! Blaming me, your only brother..."

"What else could it have been?" she asked.

"Let's just keep going," Cecil interrupted, "and keep on your guard. I have the feeling that things will get very dangerous from here on up."

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This could be the last chapter for a while. I'm not sure just yet. I have a full schedule for this month. It's a real shame: I've been away for the better part of the busy season and now school's starting in a few weeks. T.T

Well, adopt, adapt, and improve. I'd might as well make the most of the most of the time I've got left. Better get back to work!


	6. Archfiend of Earth and Death

Chapter 5: Archfiend of Earth and Death

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Mira paced the kitchen floor, thinking about the textbooks that Sheila had recovered the day before. She also though about the cookies in the cookie jar; she deliberately pushed the jar back against the counter so the twins couldn't reach it without help.

_It seems like they planned for something... But I can't imagine why they would want to leave. If this has anything to do with the dark knight, I'll ring their necks!_

She thought about it all for another minute. Didn't Palom hate the man as much as everyone else? And Porom wouldn't just disobey her like that without a good reason. Yet they had left their textbooks behind, eaten most of the cookies for breakfast, and, upon examining their rooms, had taken ethers, potions, and their backpacks with them. They had packed for something.

_Wait a second: whose idea was it in the first place? Could it be that Rai broke his promise? If so, I'm going to ring his neck as well!_

She grabbed her cloak from the coat rack and ran out of the house.

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_Hisssssssss..._

"There it goes again," Cecil groaned, sounding annoyed.

"Palom, you've seriously got to cut that hissing out!" Porom snapped.

"But it's not me! I swear it!" Palom insisted indignantly.

"Look, I know it's you; if something happens, it's _always_ you."

"I'm not doing it! Cecil, Tellah, tell Porom that I'm not the one doing that!" he begged.

"Porom, I have to agree with him: I think something else is making that hissing," Cecil admitted.

"I know it seems like something he'd do; aside from talent, mischief also runs in his blood," Tellah added.

"How did you know that?" Porom asked.

"I'm very close to the Faraxhae family. I've known them for a long time," the sage answered. "I can't tell you how many pranks Rai Faraxhae has played on me; he wouldn't happen to be your father?" he asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

"No, our uncle," Palom corrected. "We don't know who our dad is."

"Oh... Then Mira would be your mother?" Tellah guessed.

"That's right. You're an old friend of theirs, huh?" Porom said. "Where have you been? They talk about you all the time."

"I've been away. The competitive environment was no place for my daughter to learn proper magic."

"Oh. She's the one who died recently, right?" Palom asked. Porom whacked him again.

"You're so tactless; it's embarrassing," she informed.

"To answer your question, young man, yes she is the very same. Her name was Anna, and she was a talented—if unknown—mage. Then she decided to run off with a bard who turned out to be a prince; it ultimately led to her doom. Ever since, I've been out to avenge the man who killed her," Tellah explained.

"Our Elder says that revenge is bad for your health," said Palom.

"I don't care," Tellah answered evenly.

_Hissssssss..._

"Don't even start with me this time," Palom ordered his sister. "It's not me."

"But I know that it's you."

"It's not!"

"Yes, it is!"

_Hissss..._

Porom's eyes darted around nervously. She had been staring straight at her twin when she heard the hissing noise, and definitely hadn't come from him.

"There! You see? I told you it wasn't me!" he said.

"_Hisss... No, it wasn't it. It wasss me!!"_

"Something evil is coming," Tellah muttered and raised his staff. "Kids, come get behind Cecil and I; it will be safer if you stay in the back."

The twins didn't hesitate to scurry behind the two men, who were brandishing weapons more impressive than their own. "What should we do?" Palom asked, eyeing his flame staff doubtfully.

"Your best bet is your magic," Tellah told him. "The creatures on this mountain are undead, weak to fire spells and cure spells. If all else fails, your staffs should provide sufficient damage to distract the creature while we escape. I will assist you with the spells."

"And your attacks will be the biggest part of the battle; my dark power does so little against the undead," Cecil added. "Be very careful; I sense something evil, as Tellah said."

Something laughed wickedly and a sudden fog gathered around before them. The icy water droplets had an awful stench in them, and it made the four gag.

"What's that awful smell?" Palom asked from behind his hands.

"I've smelled it too many times before," Cecil said grimly. "It's the smell of death."

"This is no ordinary monster," Tellah guessed. "This is something much bigger and far worse."

The fog flashed with a bright light and dissipated as if it had never been there. In its place was a horrid mass of reeking brown tatters. It looked like a cloak, or like it might have been one once. The hood was drawn over the thing's head, covering the face in shadow; a pair of glowing yellow eyes peered out of the shadows. A pair of giant hands stuck out of the ripped sleeves, stripped of flesh and skin.

The twins shrieked, and the men gasped in terror.

"What _is_ that horrible thing?!" Porom screamed.

"I am Scarmiglione, the archfiend of earth," the thing answered, "and your guide into the fires of hell!"

"I don't want to go to hell," Palom whimpered. "Can we beat it?"

"Surely we can," Cecil assured him, brandishing his dark blade. "All monsters can be slain. This one will be no different."

"We will see," Scarmiglione snarled and lunged at the knight with a feral scream.

"FIRA!" Tellah shouted, his voice carrying on the wind. The echo was sustained longer, the spell being more powerful than Palom's puny Fire spell. A large column of fire spilled out of nowhere and hit the monster on the head. It staggered back and roared with fury, but didn't fall.

"Porom, cast your Cure spell," Tellah commanded. "And, Palom, get on your Fire spell. I can't kill this thing on my own!"

Though their teeth were chattering, they both started chanting the incantations for their respective spells. Palom finished first, and cast the spell.

"FIRE!"

More fire rained down on the creature, though not as much as Tellah had made. Instead of smashing into it, the small firry stones rather plunked down on its head and robe, inflicting small singes. Even though he was scared half to death, Palom felt tiny and insignificant next to the sage's Fira spell. It was only a step higher than Fire, but it seemed so much bigger.

"C—C—CURE!"

Considering she stammered it, Porom's spell hit the monster's chest as a lightning-like streak of white light. It took a small step back and screamed again. Palom blushed because Porom's spell had more impact than his. Black magic was supposed to be better than white magic!

The thing screamed like a maniac. "I care not for you mages, I'm here but for him!" It cast its skeleton finger at Cecil, who slashed at the hand with the sword. The hand fell off at the wrist, but the thing didn't seem to be in pain. The angry snarl seemed to be more out of anger than out of pain.

"Pay for your impudence," it growled, "with the blood of your friends!" It pulled his good hand back and raked it before the mages. They all dodged the first time and prepared to dodge the next attack.

"Die!" the thing yelled, and swiped in Tellah's direction. The long fingers caught the sage by the arm and he fell to his knees, clutching the bleeding gash.

"Oh no! Tellah, are you okay?" Porom cried and began chanting her Cure spell once more. She was cut off as the hand swept across her chest and knocked her to the ground.

"Haha! Now bask in the knowledge that your own selfish pursuits led to the death of a dear one!" it cried.

"Porom!" Palom screamed and chanted his fire spell again. He was so mad at that monster, he could kill it himself! If it dared to put its rotted fingers on his little sister again, it had better pray for mercy! What were the words for the Fira spell...?

"FIRA!"

A pillar of fire, much like the one Tellah had produced, shot out of the sky and hit the creature so hard that it fell over on its back. Its ragged cloak was on fire, burning like a bonfire.

"NOOOOO! I can't die this easily...!" it wailed, waving its arms wildly in an effort to douse the flames. The gruesome spectacle was over in a matter of minutes, as the thing dissolved into a mass of shrieking, smoking ashes.

Cecil and Tellah stood back, breathing hard and looking for any monsters that might want to take advantage of their weakened state. The terrible thing that called itself Scarmiglione seemed to have scared away every monster within a mile with its rancid smell and icy presence.

"That thing… I've never encountered a creature such as that," Tellah breathed. Cecil wasn't paying attention: he'd lost sight of the twins.

"Where are Palom and Porom?" he wondered, scanning the area for them. He let out a sigh of relief when he spotted them near the mountain wall. His heart constricted with worry once more when he realized that Palom was crying over his sister's limp body.

"Tellah…"

"Oh dear," the sage muttered and hurried to the child's side. "Palom? Palom! What happened?" he asked. Palom didn't seem to register the question. He just kept muttering Porom's name over and over again, as if saying it enough would make her wake up.

"Tellah, she's not…?" Cecil couldn't bring himself to say the last word.

"It looks more like she's just unconscious," Tellah corrected, placing his hand over the girl's heart and feeling a slow heartbeat beneath his hand.

"That big word means the same as dead, doesn't it," Palom sobbed.

"No, it just means she's been hurt so bad she fell asleep so her body could recover," Tellah explained. It can be just like being asleep in bed; often you can have strange dreams. Lord knows I've been knocked out enough times in my life. Fortunately for us, I know a spell that will revive her." He rocked back on his heels and cracked his knuckles and Palom illuminated.

"You do? You can bring her back?"

"Certainly. I know enough white magic to do so," Tellah informed. He began reciting a spell; this one took more time to finish, since it was so advanced.

"RAISE!"

A soft, ethereal light suddenly drifted down from the sky and focused on Porom, like a spotlight. There was a voice somewhere in the distance, singing a mysterious lullaby, and a person robed in white floated down through the shaft of light; the person was a young woman with red hair, and she carried a harp. She smiled down at them all, though she didn't say a word. She nodded to Tellah, who nodded back understandingly.

The angel floated closer to the ground, but hovered above it as of suspended from wires in a theatre. She touched her fingertips to Porom's forehead and whispered something in a strange tongue; it sounded like a spell, but at the same time seemed to be something different entirely. As soon as she finished her whispering, the light vanished in a flash and took her away with it.

As soon as the flash faded, Porom's eyes popped open and she sat straight up. She gazed about, looking disoriented.

"Huh? What happened?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "I remember that thing hit Tellah, and then I went to heal him, and then the last thing I remember was a big bony hand coming right for my—Agh!"

She didn't get to finish because Palom glomped onto her.

"I thought you were dead!" he cried into her shoulder. "Don't ever scare me like that again, or I'll kill you myself!"

"What? What did I do?" she asked, confused.

Tellah laughed good-naturedly to himself. "I believe that the monster knocked her out while she was distracted with her spell. Nothing a quick Raise spell wouldn't fix up. Perhaps we should plan our use of spells before we start casting them," he suggested.

"Tellah, that angel who revived Porom looked familiar," Cecil stated, looking up in the direction the light had come from.

"I was wondering if you would recognize her," Tellah said as he stood back up.

"The red hair, those brown eyes… it was Anna, wasn't it?" the knight guessed.

"The Raise spell summons an angel the caster knows; everyone knows at least one person who has died by the time they've learned the spell," Tellah explained. "It used to be my wife, who died when Anna was a small child; but it's been Anna who had appeared these past two months. I just wish she had chosen a different instrument to carry around than that infernal harp; bit of insult to injury, you know? I suppose it's fitting for us both, though."

"Sounds like a great spell," Porom chimed in, prying her brother off of her. "I can't wait to learn it."

Tellah turned back to the twins, whom he had momentarily forgotten about. "At the rate you've learned things sp far, I'm sure you should have the spell under your belt in no time, my dear."

Porom beamed. "You really think so?"

"Certainly," Tellah assured her.

Cecil sighed and looked up the path. Ahead of them was a glowing circle surrounded by four small pillars. The circle was just big enough for a small campsite.

"Aha! There's a place to rest just up ahead of us," he announced. "And we could certainly use a rest, I believe."

"Indeed," Tellah agreed. "I've spent two days up here, looking for that spot, and my feet are killing me. Get up, kids; we've got to get up there and set up a tent and a fire and such."

"Can I use my new Fira spell to start the fire?" Palom asked.

"Certainly you may," Tellah consented.

"And I'm really hungry," Porom added. "What kind of bread is there left?"

"Plenty," Cecil answered. "You can eat as much as you want when we get up there, okay?"

"We ought to have a good rest," Tellah advised. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Why? We beat that thing, didn't we?" Palom pointed out.

"Yes, we did; and that just the problem," Tellah answered. "An elemental archfiend, eh? That was far too easy."

"What do you think could happen?" Porom asked.

"I'm sure I don't know. Best to keep your eyes and ears open."

22222222222

Rai knew he was in trouble again when he heard the front door fly open and crash into the wall. The door had probably broken into several pieces with the kind of force he heard.

"Rai! Rai Faraxhae, you come out here right now! I know you're here!"

_Oh crap. She knows!_

The door to the study opened a jar and Dharma stuck his hooded head shyly into the room.

"Um, sir? Your sister is here to see you," he announced.

Rai sighed and closed his book slowly.

"Er, can you tell her I'm indisposed right now?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not, sir. She knows that you're here; Sheila tried to stall for you, but Mira won't listen."

"I'll… be right down, Dharma."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"Like you were about sending the twins off with the dark knight? If you hadn't done that, you wouldn't be in this mess."

"Who did you want me to send? You and Sheila? You would abandon the boy and leave him to his death."

"And they wouldn't?"

"They may be advanced for their age, but they are only six years old; they need him up there as much as he needs them. You and Sheila, not so much. See? I thought you would have figured this out by now."

"So what are you going to say to Mira?"

"I'm going to have to tell her the truth. I broke my promise and sent her children with Sir Cecil to Mount Ordeals, and I have no idea where any of them are right now."

"You're not _really_ going to say that, are you? Mira will blow your head off with her Firaja spell!"

"I know. But she does have to know; they _are_ her only children. I'm shaking in my boots; she handles the Firaja spell like no one I know…"

Rai peeked out of the door, which led to a veranda which led to the stairs. Below on the floor, he saw Mira waiting in the middle of the isle, tapping her foot impatiently. Sheila was standing nearby, nibbling her fingernails on one hand and nursing a bruise on her cheek with the other hand. He took a deep breath and stepped out onto the veranda, catching Mira's firry glare.

"Hello, Rai," she said with a sweetness that was obviously fake. "Guess what I figured out?"

"Uh…. How to turn coal into gold without a philosopher's stone?" Rai attempted.

"Don't play smart-ass with me!" Mira snapped. "I know exactly where my children have gone, and I know it was you who sent them!"

"I…"

"Don't bother defending yourself, you double-crosser! I don't want to hear your excuses, I just want you to find a way to bring them back!"

"Mira, let me explain," Rai begged and started down the stairs.

"There's nothing to explain, Rai."

"You don't understand—"

"I understand plenty."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do!"

"No, you do not! And another thing, if you hit my assistants again, I'll tear you a new one!"

Mira shrieked and flew at Rai with a Firaja spell on her lips. Rai braced himself and began a Blizzaja to counter it. Before either spell was finished, she lunged at him and knocked him to the floor, pounding him with her fists.

"You'll tear me a new one for your precious interns, huh? What about my kids, then? I'll tear you _five_ new ones for their sake!"

Rai hit her back and pushed her onto her back, doing his best to pin her down.

"You don't understand, Mira! He needed them, so they're who he got!"

"They're children!"

"They can take care of themselves fine!"

Mira kicked Rai off and he was sent a few yards back.

"YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE!!" she screamed.

Her voice echoed as if she had cast one of the forbidden spells in the high-ceilinged tower. Rai shrank away from his little sister, and Sheila cowered in a corner. All three of them remained there in silence for a few moments, breathing hard. Mira sniffled, as surprised as everyone else to see she was crying.

"You broke your promise," she repeated more quietly. "You promised me that you would leave Palom and Porom out of your crazy scheming, and you completely blew me off. Now they're out in the wilderness, maybe lost, probably hurt, and I don't know if I'll ever see them again. And it's all your fault!" She pointed accusingly at her brother, tears streaming down her face.

"Cecil had nothing to do with it," Rai defended. "He had no idea you didn't know; it will stay that way unless the twins tell him."

Mira looked at him incredulously. "So you broke your promise to me, smuggled my children out of the city with a monster, lied to the monster, and made your interns lie to me as well? And you call yourself and Elder of Mysidia! I could do it better than you! And why do you want to help that man, anyway?"

"I don't trust him completely, but if he can pass the paladin test at the top of the mountain he could become the best ally we've ever had."

"The paladin test? Rai, you've lost your mind! Only five people have been accepted for it, and only three have passed that test in 1000 years! And I can guarantee you that that murderer won't be the sixth. He doesn't have what it takes."

"How do you know that? Are you a friend of his? Have you talked to him? Have ever even looked at him? You don't know a thing about the boy!"

"And I suppose that you do? Enough to send my kids to help him?"

"Not just to help him, to keep their eyes on him," Rai corrected. "Like I said, I don't trust him completely. I won't trust him until he comes back with a paladin sword."

"You'd best pray that he does, and that he has my children safe with him," Mira growled, rising to her feet and brushing off her torn, dusty dress. "Because if he doesn't, I'm never talking to you again!" She stormed to the door, which was in fact split across the middle. She flung it back open and stalked out, slamming the door with a bang.

Rai sighed, on the brink of tears himself.

"I don't doubt that she'll speak to me again," he said to no one in particular. "But she'll never trust me again."

_If I keep doing things like this, I'll never hear from any of my family again._

22222222222

Ooh, tension! Doesn't it just eat you alive inside??

You know, the song "Crazy on You" by Heart came on my iPod when I started writing about Mura pummeling Rai. It kinda fit the scene, until she started crying. I love it when things like that happen. )

Well, I guess that's all I have to say right now. Of course, there is another fight coming up. Better get on it; hopefully Palom won't freak out this time.


	7. The Way Into Light

Chapter 6: The Way Into Light

22222222222

"I don't like the idea of staying here for the rest of the day," Cecil complained. "There's still so much daylight left; we could make great time if we kept going."

"True," Tellah agreed, "but the children are tired and more than a bit shaken. And, at any rate, we _did_ just beat an elemental archfiend; we deserve a good rest."

"Maybe, but I can't help but think about Rosa. How much time do I really have to spare for her?"

"We'll get her back, Cecil. Don't worry about that," Tellah assured the knight. They both looked over at the twins to ease their minds.

The brother and sister were practicing their magic near the edge of the mountain. Somehow, they had discovered that if they focused their minds and energy on the same target, they could cast a strange kind of magic on their target. It wasn't black magic, but it wasn't white magic either; it was like a mix of the two: gray magic.

Tellah said that this was amazing; any twin-mages could do this, but the fact that they had figured it out on their own, just then, and were practicing with no difficulty meant something spectacular.

"I had forgotten about this ability," the sage mused. "If I had remembered it, I would have told them about it when we met. They just stumbled over it by accident half an hour ago, and now they're performing the Twin-cast at a third-year level. It's astounding!"

"I had my doubts when we started out; mostly because they were so young, and because they seemed to be prone to bickering," Cecil recalled. "But I feel that we've done well together."

"The Faraxhaes are all masters, all extra-talented, all prodigies; they certainly are given over to bickering. I mean, one is great with black magic, one with white magic, one with both, one with thunder spells, one prides herself on her fire spells, not to mention all the outside social connections and adventures—well, pretty soon you wind up with a circus."

"Sounds like you've known these people for quite sometime. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were _from_ this family; you certainly seem to have a temper to match."

"Well, uh—"

"Wild, huh? I guess knowing a person enough rubs off, eh?"

"Yes, it certainly does," Tellah agreed.

By the ledge, Palom and Porom were frying every wildflower and blade of grass they could find with their Twin-cast ability. The whole ledge was covered in scorch marks and small craters.

"There's nothing left to practice on," Porom whined when the last flower had been incinerated.

"Let's try that little flower patch over on that ledge," Palom suggested, pointing to another ledge, several hundred yards away that had a cluster of yellow flowers on it.

"It's kinda far away," Porom said doubtfully.

"I think we can make it," Palom insisted. "We'll just have to aim this time." He sized up the distance once more. "We can definitely make that; it's not that far."

"It might attract attention from monsters."

"It might scare them away. And if we practice on farther targets, we can attack long-range monsters."

Porom finally agreed that aiming at these flowers might prove advantageous.

They both focused at the ledge and began chanting their spells: Palom chose his Fire spell, and Porom chose her Cure spell.

"FIRE!"

"CURE!"

Between the two, a large ball of white and red-orange light materialized and grew until it was as tall as they stood. A lightning-bolt of white light, braided with fire shot out of its center at their target. The bolt hit the ledge perfectly, leaving the ledge charred and the flowers burned to ashes. With their long-range experiment successfully complete, they turned to see what Cecil and Tellah would say.

"Did you guys see that? Did you see what we did?" Palom asked excitedly, bouncing up and down and clapping his hands. The two men were staring at the twins, dumbfounded.

"That was…" was all that Cecil could manage.

"That was incredible!" Tellah exclaimed, jumping up on his feet with a vigor that even he wasn't aware he possessed. "Look at you two! You just found this ability half an hour ago, and look at what you can do! I've never seen someone learn Twin-cast that fast!"

The twins both blushed deep red.

"I'm a little tired from all this practice," Palom admitted, resting his hand casually on the back of his head. "I guess we've broken a record or something, huh?"

"Surely you have," Tellah insisted. "We have to find out when we get back to Mysidia."

Cecil smiled at the old man's sudden antics.

_You'd think he was no older than the twins,_ he thought. _He had a tendency to act like a child around Rydia as well; it always put her nerves to rest when she was nervous._

_I wonder if there's something I can do for them?_

"You're awfully quiet," Porom said, bringing Cecil out of his reverie.

"Hm? What?"

"I said you're awfully quiet; you look a little sad again, actually," Porom repeated.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how silly Tellah was acting just now," Cecil teased.

Tellah's face turned red. "I, I was not!"

The others all began laughing at him.

"He _was_ acting kinda funny," Porom admitted, trying to hide her laughter behind her hands.

"You should have seen the look on your face!" Palom added. Porom whacked him again.

"Don't laugh at your elders! Show some respect!" she scolded.

"Tell yourself that sometime," Palom retorted. Porom's face turned redder than Tellah's when she realized that her brother had a point. Now the two men laughed at them.

"What a marvelous pair you kids make!" Tellah bellowed. "I'm amazed that you haven't torn each other to pieces yet!"

_I love kids,_ Cecil thought to himself. _Always an adventure. I can't wait to have kids of my own._

22222222222

Rai stared out the window in the direction of the mountain. He wondered if he stared at it hard enough, if he could see his niece and nephew or a spell they were casting. He knew he could see their spells: those blasts of energy that he saw near the summit could only be the Twin-cast at work. He vaguely wondered how they figured it out, but decided not to; they were clever enough to figure it out on their own.

He missed the Twin-cast himself; with his twin unavailable for so long, Rai hadn't been able to use it for years and years. He missed the sensation of white-on-white, black-on-black, and black-on-white smashing into things. He missed the sensation of being so one with another person.

He knew that Palom and Porom would treasure the Twin-cast for ever.

He also wondered why the blasts remained in the same spot for so long. They remained on the right side of the mountain, on a path that inevitably led to the very peak.

_There's a safe spot around there for a campsite,_ Rai remembered. _But I didn't expect them to stop so soon. There's still plenty of light out…_

_I hope they're okay, or I'll have cost myself another sibling._

22222222222

The next day, the four friends were traveling steadily to the summit. They were almost there; Tellah said so, he had been up the mountain before.

Palom sighed. "Man, I wish I was big and strong like Cecil," he said. "Then I could use a big cool sword _and_ magic. I could be the best mage who ever lived!" He twirled an imaginary sword in the air.

"I could give you some lessons sometime," Cecil offered.

"That would be awesome!" He thrust his invisible sword forward so hard that he nearly fell on his face. "That was deliberate," he claimed.

"Sure it was," Cecil mockingly agreed.

"I can still be a good sword fighter," Palom insisted. "I wish I _had_ a sword, instead of this stupid fire staff…"

"Stick to your staffs for now, my boy," Tellah advised. "The mage's forte is with magic; that's why we're called mages."

"But swords are so much cooler!"

"Wait a minute…" Tellah froze, as if feeling something in the air. "Something's not right. I can feel it."

"What is it?" Cecil asked.

"Oh, I feel it too," Porom agreed, looking around for something to attack.

"I don't feel anything," Palom stated.

"If they say something's not right, I'm prepared to believe that something isn't right." Cecil drew his sword and gazed around warily.

"There's nothing around here now; perhaps up yonder stairs?" Tellah wondered, pointing at a tall staircase carved into the rock up ahead of them. If not for the stairs, they would have been blocked by a ten-foot ledge.

"Let us climb it and see," Cecil said gravely and started for the stairs.

"Stay behind us," Tellah advised when Palom tried to get behind Cecil.

"I'll be fine," Palom insisted.

"Please, just do as I say," Tellah asked forcefully. The boy didn't dare argue any more and got behind the sage instead.

At the top of the stairs there was a small mesa; another small mesa was separated from it by a 12-foot chasm and a wood-and-rope bridge. Aside from the bridge, there was nothing in the immediate area.

"How much farther to the end, Tellah?" Porom asked.

"Just across that bridge. Do you see that small shrine on the other side?" Tellah said, pointing to a cluster of pillars and a small stone alter on the other side of the bridge. "Cecil's test lies there. But I have a bad feeling about the bridge…"

Cecil's clear blue eyes searched for anything that could cause trouble, but he saw nothing. "Let's hurry and cross it; perhaps we can evade whatever is following after us."

"I pray so," Tellah mumbled.

Cecil took the first step onto the bridge. It swayed unsteadily under his weight and he stepped back with a gasp of surprise. He took a deep breath and tried again. The bridge creaked and the wooden planks gave a little, but they held him up well enough. Slowly and cautiously, the three mages followed him across.

All were happy to reach the other side intact, and there still didn't seem to be anything around. It was a ridiculously straight shot to the little shrine.

And that was what concerned them.

"Let's just try it," Palom suggested. "Maybe we got a lucky break this time."

"I wouldn't count on it; this is way too easy," Tellah rebuked, but they walked toward the shrine all the same.

To their horror, another mist began to gather; it smelled of decaying flash, just as before. There was a gargled, evil laugh from inside the mist.

"_Ha, you fools! My true strength lies in death! Join me as for a great feast in my house in the netherworld; come, like sheep to their shepherd, follow me into hell!_"

The mist vanished to reveal Scarmiglione once more.

At least, it _had_ been Scarmiglione the last time they had seen it. The hood of its cloak had been cast back, and now they saw its face: a great grime-covered skull with thinning blonde hair; one side was long, the other cut short. The monster had also grown a tail of pointy vertebrae. Its cloak still bore tears and scorches from its previous battle.

And, unfortunately, he appeared behind them, facing the twins instead of Tellah and Cecil as they had planned.

Porom gulped. "It looks even worse than last time," she whimpered.

"I'm sure glad we figured out the Twin-cast in time for this battle," Palom added.

"Tellah's spells and your Twin-cast will do a lot of damage," Cecil reminded, readying his sword for battle once more. "You kids will have to work harder to keep him at bay; in the front, the two of you will be easier to hit than if you had been in the back."

"Thanks for the encouragement," Palom groaned and began his Fira spell.

Scarmiglione laughed at Palom. "Your little fire-spurt won't do anything against my newfound powers!" it cackled.

"Don't listen to it," Porom said to her brother. "Just keep up your chanting; it doesn't know what we can really do now. That's an advantage."

"I know," Palom agreed. He almost seemed to be glowing with this knowledge.

Scarmiglione leapt past the twins and went straight for Cecil, who slashed it across the skull. The sword clashed against the bone, scraping the outer layer of ick off it and leaving a streak of slightly less grimy grime. Once again, the undead thing didn't scream in pain. Instead it laughed its gargled laugh.

"You all think you're so grand, with your pitiful attacks," it hissed. "Breath this, and walk as the living dead!"

It exhaled sharply, emitting a cloud of noxious green vapor at the party. Tellah tried to warn everyone to cover their mouths, but was a little too late. The cloud swept over them all, choking them. They all keeled over, gagging and coughing.

"I feel sick…" Porom moaned, clutching at her stomach.

"I can't see anything," Palom added, groping around for something to hold onto.

"I can't move. Tellah, what is this?" Cecil asked, trying to struggle to his feet.

"I've got it under control," Tellah insisted, and he began chanting a spell.

"ESUNA!"

Each person saw a flash of light and instantly felt their hurt bodies get lighter. The poison, blindness, and paralysis had all vanished.

"To your feet, quickly! You're all cured! Palom, Porom, pick up where you left off with the Twin-cast; it hasn't been too long, the spells should still be good."

"What will you do?" Palom asked.

"I'll stall for time," Tellah informed and began the Fire spell.

"FIRA!

"CURE!"

The inferno between grew between them once more, until it was a little bigger than they were. Once fully charged, it let itself loose and struck the monster square in the chest. This time, the scream it let out was of pure pain.

"Well done," Tellah praised. "Another one of those should put him to sleep; I'll cast my Fire spell to give you a little more time."

"FIRE!"

More fire rained down like a mist, compared to the big Fira spell they had been using. It certainly distracted Scarmiglione while the twins worked on their Twin-cast, but not for long.

"I see your little friends are working on a little something again," it noticed with an evil spark in its voice. "Not for long!" It raised its claw-like hands and prepared to attack the twins.

"Wait!"

Scarmiglione turned to see Cecil standing behind it, brandishing his sword.

"It was _me_ that you wanted, wasn't it?" the knight reminded. "Or has your brain rotted so much that you can't remember what your priorities?" he taunted.

Scarmiglione snarled and lunged for the knight, distracted once again.

"Will we be able to take him down with this one shot?" Palom asked his sister.

"'Course. I remembered all the words to a new spell," Porom informed proudly.

"Really? Then let's cast it!"

"FIRA!"

"CURA!"

The inferno grew again, only much larger than before with the new power behind the Cura. The bolt that shot into Scarmiglione's back was larger and brighter than any of them had seen.

"YAAAAAAAAGH!" the monster wailed. Its cloak was set ablaze once more, and it began flailing about wildly.

"You can't have done it again! I'm an elemental archfiend! We will meet in hell, mark my—"

It didn't get to finish: it fell off the side of the cliff, screaming with pain and rage.

Tellah touched his hand to his heart. "I do believe that is the last we will be seeing of Scarmiglione," he breathed.

"That last Twin-cast was the most amazing thing I've ever seen," Cecil told the twins as he put his sword away. "Nice one with the Cura, Porom."

Porom beamed. "Want me to cure you all with it?" she asked eagerly.

"Sure!"

"Of course!"

"That'd be awesome!"

Porom blushed and giggled shyly. "Okay, then! Let me chant the spell…"

"CURA!"

A flash of white light appeared and dissolved over the four like fairy dust, and they were all healed of their minor wounds. Once the spell was complete, they ran the short distance to the little shrine.

"What happens now?" Cecil asked, looking for his long-awaited test.

"Well, er, to be honest, I'm not sure," Tellah admitted, scratching his head.

"_My son, is it you who goes there?"_

The four all jumped. Cecil and Tellah made sure the twins were sandwiched between them and then raised their weapons.

"_Yes… Yes, you are my son, come to me at last."_

"Who are you?" Cecil demanded of the air.

"_My light is for you, saved for these 20 years."_

"Wait! What are you talking about?" Cecil asked, looking for something to stab.

In place of an answer, there was another flash of light. When the light subsided, the four friends stood in a large room. The floor and ceiling seemed to be made of blue and green marble, but they highly doubted that it was such a simple material. Everything glowed and shined with an ethereal light.

And the far wall was made of a single, flawless mirror.

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I'm so pleased with how quickly this story is coming this far!

My brother got frustrated with his DS and hit the top screen. Now there's this big splotch on the screen and you can't see much on the left side of it. He's so mad right now… --0 Have we all learned our lessons??

Amanda, hold up the queue-card!

(A little pink salamander holds up a queue-card with red lettering.)

"PUNCH A PILLOW, NOT YOUR DS!" ;)


	8. Cecil's Test

Chapter 7: Cecil's Test

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The long, tall, perfect mirror reflected the room, making it seem much larger. Everything that it reflected was a slight shade darker than it really was.

"What is this place?" Porom wondered, gazing around the empty room and feeling slightly dizzy.

"I never thought I'd get to see this day," Tellah whispered. "If I had known…"

"Tellah, surely you know _something_ of what happens next," Cecil insisted.

"I'm afraid I don't. This is all, it's surreal."

The twins huddled together out of instinct, confused and a bit frightened. The room was completely empty, and it looked so big. Then they noticed something: Cecil was glowing, almost sparkling.

"Cecil, look! Something's happening!" Palom cried.

The knight looked in time to see his armor beginning to dissolve in the strange light that had encompassed his body. He looked like he was about to panic.

"_My son,"_ came the voice again, _"I have waited in silence for all these years, in deep and terrible pain, to give you my light. My pain will only deepen, but you are meant to have it. You have a job to do; I wish I could help you, but…"_

"What?"

Cecil got another flash of light for an answer. When the light dissolved again, what little of his dark armor he was wearing was gone. In its place was a gleaming new set of white, silver, and blue armor. A new sword had appeared in his hand; the metal was bright silver with some strange letters carved near the hilt.

"Amazing…" he breathed, assessing his mysterious new equipment.

The twins admired his new armor and his new sword too. It all looked so new and so bright. And it was all so much nicer than the dented black breastplate and ugly black sword to look at.

The mirror caught their attention. In the reflection, Cecil was still wearing his dark armor; in fact, his reflection was fully suited in the black metal.

"_Now face the darkness that threatens to consume you. Fight the darkness, and face yourself. Any paladin is given a new sword, but the wise ones will sheath theirs."_

Cecil's reflection began moving on its own, pulling the old black sword out of its sheath. The glass rippled and, to everyone's horror, the dark knight stepped out onto the floor.

"Oh no!" Porom cried in alarm.

"We'll help you, Cecil," Palom offered and began chanting his Fira spell.

"Hold your spells," Cecil commanded, stilling the mages with a majestic wave of his hand. "This fight is for me alone." He turned to look at them with a look of grand and confident determination.

"And it is a fight that I do not intend to lose."

Palom and Porom were awed. This was not the passive, soft-spoken Cecil they were familiar with. In the past few seconds, he had changed into a totally different person.

"As much as I hate it, he has a point," Tellah agreed. "Stay here and cheer him on. I think he'll do a fine job."

Cecil and his reflection charged at each other; the dark knight roared a battle cry, but Cecil remained silent. The dark knight brought his blade down, intent on Cecil's head, but the paladin dodged the attack. The blade landed with an echoing crash on the glassy floor. It wrenched the sword back out of the floor and swung at Cecil's middle. Cecil eluded the attack again and the dark knight spun around with the force; he nearly fell on the floor.

Palom felt confused. Why wasn't Cecil attacking? He'd never slay the dark knight if he just kept dodging it; he'd tire himself out and then he'd be easy prey! When Cecil continued to dodge the attacks, Palom began to feel frustrated.

"Tellah, why isn't he attacking? He's never going to beat that thing if he doesn't start hitting it!"

"You'd think so, wouldn't you? Didn't you hear what the voice said?" Tellah asked.

"Of course…Uh, what did it say?" Palom asked sheepishly. Porom whacked him.

"Pay attention! It said, 'Any paladin is given a new sword, but the wise ones will sheath theirs'," she reminded.

"So? What's that supposed to mean?" Palom demanded. Porom was about to whack him again and explain the riddle, but she realized that she didn't know quite what it meant either.

"A paladin's job is to protect, attacking only when necessary," Tellah explained. "The point of this test is that, in order to beat one's dark side, you must avoid it all together and thwart its attempts to take it over. In order to beat this adversary, Cecil must alternately elude and block all attacks his dark reflection throws at him."

"He's doing a great job," Porom marveled. "Look! See the reflection? I can see through it!"

Her companions looked and saw that she was right: the dark knight was standing in front of Cecil, and the gleam of his new armor was shining through the reflection as if it was made of gossamer silk.

"The dark reflection is beginning to weaken," Tellah noted with pride.

The reflection threw his sword up over Cecil's head and tried to bring it back down on his shoulder. Cecil put his new sword to block it. The black sword clashed down on the silver one and broke in several pieces with a _kashink!_ The pieces fell to the floor with a ringing, clinking sound. The reflection dissolved into thick black smoke, which quickly evaporated into the air.

"_The test is won, the battle decided,"_ the voice declared. _"Your shield is won, my child. My light is yours."_

There was one more bright flash, which forced them all to close their eyes. When they opened their eyes again, they were standing before the little stone alter as if they had never left.

"_Fare thee well, wherever you go, my son…"_

"No, wait!" Cecil yelled to the sky. "Come back! Who are you?"

He got no answer.

"Who was that?" he wondered.

He didn't have time to wonder. Something jumped on his back and attached itself to his legs.

"You did it! You're a paladin!" Palom shouted triumphantly in Cecil's ear. "You did it! You did it! You did it!"

"We knew you could do it! We both did! I never doubted you for a second!" Porom added, hugging Cecil's left leg as tight as she could. "Tellah, didn't he do a great job?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at Tellah. He looked stunned and was staring at his hands as if he'd never seen them before. Porom let go of Cecil's leg and dropped on her bottom with a soft "oof!" The two others turned to see what was happening.

"Tellah? What's wrong?"

The sage didn't respond. He laughed a short, disbelieving laugh.

"I… I remember…"

"Huh? What was that?" Cecil asked.

Tellah grinned, still staring at his hands. The he jumped in the air with a whoop of joy.

"My spells! All the spells I—Gah!"

As he landed, his back snapped audibly and he began massaging the sore spot.

"Tellah, what's gotten into you?" Cecil asked, growing concerned for the sage.

"All the spells I've forgotten over the years," Tellah replied, sucking his breath in sharply. "I've forgotten so many of my black and white spells; but I just remembered them all!"

"CURAJA!"

Tellah's voice boomed through the mountainside and he began glowing. After a second he stood up straight and flexed his arms.

"I haven't felt this good in years! Wait a minute…" Tellah began mumbling to himself; the words were a spell. He mumbled for what seemed like a long time. Whatever the spell was, it was a big, powerful one.

"Me…te…or…? I, I know it now! I know the Meteor spell! That bright flash must have done it all! Brilliant!"

The other three all enjoyed Tellah's antics for a bit, but Palom and Porom looked at each other doubtfully. There was still something weighing on their minds: they helped Cecil, there was no doubt of that, but they had initially been sent to keep their eyes on him. But somewhere between goblin attacks, walls of fire, absent minded sages, elemental lords, and paladin tests, they had forgotten to do this. All the same, they felt like they should tell Cecil about this.

"Um, Cecil, we need to tell you something," Porom announced. Cecil turned back to them. He was grinning broadly, laughing at Tellah; they had never seen him so amused. They hated to spoil the good moment with this confession, but they knew that had to tell him now; if they didn't they might not tell him at all.

"What is it, kids?" Cecil asked.

"Well, you see," Palom started nervously, "the Elder asked us to, uh—"

"Meteor! Can you kiddies believe it? Me, an old man, I have access to one of the six forbidden spells!" Tellah interrupted. He ran over to the twins and caught Palom in his arms; he flung the boy around in the air like he was a bird.

"I'll bet one day you'll be a grand enough mage to learn a spell this powerful as well! Faraxhae you are, I have no doubt that you will!" Tellah cried.

"Tellah! Put me down! I'm getting dizzy! If I throw up on you, it's your own fault!"

Tellah finally set Palom back on the ground. The boy stumbled awkwardly for a few steps and then fell to his knees. He would have fallen on his face if Porom hadn't rushed over and caught him.

"Well, what do you know about that, Cecil? You become a paladin, and I learn a forbidden spell," Tellah said proudly, giving Cecil a friendly punch in the shoulder. Cecil gasped in pain (Tellah's blow was harder than he meant it to be) and rubbed his bruised arm.

"Yes, I think it made you much stringer," Cecil agreed.

"Made _me_ stronger? Look at _you_, my boy! A paladin warrior! And you kept saying that you'd never amount to anything; you said that the darkness had consumed you and that there was no light left in you. I never believed it for a second! Your girl, Rosa, she was right."

"She was right? You've never met her," Cecil pointed out.

"You said that she said you were a good person, and there was still time for you to turn yourself around. Guess she was right after all. Goodness, I'd love to meet this young woman of yours. What a gal she sounds to be! I'm sure that she'll make a good wife for you!"

Cecil blushed. "Tellah, cut it out!"

"Ha! I knew she was your girlfriend! I knew it all along!" Palom cried.

Cecil blushed deeper red than before. "She's not—!"

The mages all stared at him doubtfully.

"Well…"

"Ah, but you love her," Tellah pointed out. "Why would you be trying so hard to rescue her if you didn't?"

Cecil stared off into the distance, defeated. "We certainly aren't getting closer to rescuing her while we stand here celebrating. We can celebrate when we get back to the city," he informed.

"Oh yes, good idea," Tellah agreed. "I have worn myself out a bit. Back to the safe spot, then." He began walking back to the bridge, taking a moment to spit down the chasm where Scarmiglione had fallen. "Come along then, children. The sooner we get back to the safe spot, the sooner we can rest up and use my emergency exit charm."

"You have one of those?" Palom asked excitedly.

"Why yes. And if you'll come along, we'll use it in due time."

They started off once more, the twins in their usual place in the back.

"Porom," Palom whispered, "we didn't get to tell him about spying on him, 'cause Tellah started throwing me around. Should we still tell him?"

"Um, maybe not now. They're both in such good moods. Maybe when we get to the safe spot."

"Oh. Alright."

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Rai felt so antsy he could barely contain himself. He could feel so much strong energy coming from the mountain. At first it was terrible, dangerous, and he instantly feared for the twins, but the bad energy soon faded to be replaced by a strong holy presence. Cecil had taken the trial and had passed it. He and the twins would be returning in a day or two, and he could feel no vibes saying that they were dead.

He just had to go and tell Mira. He didn't care if she threw things at him, cast her Firaja spell on him, or if she wouldn't even let him into her house. Her children were alive and were coming back home. She had to know as soon as possible. He grabbed an old cloak out of his closet and ran for his door. He ran out and across the veranda and swooped down the stairs like a bird of prey, startling Dharma and Sheila.

"Sir? What's the matter?" Sheila asked, closing her book and running to her boss.

"You and Dharma keep an eye on the tower. I have to go talk to Mira," Rai answered and headed for the door.

"Uh, sir, do you think that's such a good idea? Remember what happened yesterday?" Dharma reminded.

"I don't care. The kids are alive and she must know." Rai ran out the door and pulled it shut behind him.

He ran down the streets, not caring that it was completely undignified for an Elder to run so fast. He hadn't run in years, and his legs protested immensely, but he didn't stop until he reached Mira's door. He was out of breath, his legs felt like they would fall off, and everyone around was staring at him as if he'd gone crazy, but he knocked on the door. He sagged against the door post, gasping for breath.

The door opened and Mira stuck her head out. She saw who her caller was and scowled.

"Men of your age aren't built for running," she said coldly. "What do you want?"

"The kids… alive… coming back…" Rai gasped.

Mira perked up a little bit. "Really? Then the dark knight reached the top?"

"He took the test," Rai informed between breaths. "He was accepted and took the test. He passed."

Mira laughed. "Ha! That'll be the day. If there's a single scratch on either of my children—"

"They're fine. They've done a good job."

Mira regarded her brother, not sure of what to say.

"Mira, don't do anything to Cecil. He had no idea you didn't know. Leave him and the kids alone."

"Why should I? He's the one who started it all in the first place."

"And I got in the way. He had nothing to do with it."

"You went behind my back and sent my children into the lion's den, trusting on a murderer to keep them safe. Why should I do anything you ask of me?" she demanded.

"As your high Elder, I command you to leave the knight alone."

Mira's expression turned from stony to surprised. "You never use that on me," she said, sounding shocked.

"And I hate to do it. But if you lay a wrong hand on the boy, I will have you charged with treason. You must leave him alone, no matter how badly you'd like to hurt him."

"Why do you care so much, that you would arrest me for his sake? Does he mean more to you than us? The twins and I are the only family you have left and you set our needs to the side for the man who laid waste to our city. Why?"

"I keep telling you, the twins are destined to be a part of this man's journey. I don't like it any more than you do; I'd rather they stay here, where they would be safe, just as you would."

"And yet you knowingly endanger them? _Why_?"

"You'll understand in time, sister. You'll see; this man will be able to go where is destined to go because Palom and Porom were with him when he did one thing or another: a battle will be saved because Porom had a heal spell or a protect spell at the ready; a great obstacle will be removed from his path because Palom mastered his blizzard spells (at last). Without them, his quest will not go very far, I don't think."

"What quest?"

"I'm not sure yet. Be patient, if you can. If not, go back to your skulking."

"Either way, I'm not getting anything done," Mira replied icily.

"Misery loves company," Rai stated, pushing away from the door beam, "but I won't be joining you. When they return, you'll be in for a few surprises. Mark me."

"We shall see; the state of my only children remains to be seen." Mira went back into the house and shut the door in her brother's face.

Rai turned to see that a small crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. With a single disapproving look he sent them all away. He walked back to the tower, wondering how long they would take to come back.

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Cecil regretted that all he could find for Palom was a long stick, but he had promised him lessons. Now that they were camped again, now was as good a time as any to start the first lesson in swordplay.

For half an hour Cecil instructed the boy how to stand, grip the sword, and how to move when in battle. Palom was discouraged easily sometimes, but was still eager to learn and kept trying.

"It's the longest something has held his attention for months," Porom noted to Tellah as they sat watching. "He's too interested in everything. Nothing can hold his interest for too long; not even the Firaga spell."

"Curiosity will do that to a young boy," Tellah agreed. "Aren't you curious about things, Porom?"

"Of course I am. I just like to learn a lot about things instead of only learning a little bit about things because I'm too curious."

"You'd rather have a lot of knowledge about a few things, unlike your bother, who would rather know a little about many things. An interesting disposition," Tellah said thoughtfully.

"Tellah, do you own a hairbrush?"

"…What?"

"Do you ever brush your hair? It's sorta wild," she pointed out.

"Well, I haven't brushed my hair in a while, now that you mention it. Keep it clean? Oh yes; brush it? Well, there isn't always time these days."

"Oh."

They watched Cecil and Palom for a while in silence. Cecil hit Palom's stick so hard that it went flying over the cliff by mistake.

"No! My stick!" Palom cried and ran to the edge to look for it. His makeshift sword was gone.

"Whoops; I'm so sorry. Let me find you another one," Cecil offered and began to look around.

But Palom had other ideas.

He popped up on his feet and charged at Cecil while he was distracted. He pounded into Cecil's stomach and they both landed on the ground in a heap.

"Palom, what are you doing?!"

"I'm playing!"

"I don't like this game! Get off!" Even though he was yelling at Palom and telling him to stop, Cecil sounded like he didn't mind. In fact, it sounded like he was enjoying himself. Before long the two were roughhousing like two brothers.

Tellah and Porom laughed, amused. "What's wrong with them?" Porom asked.

"Oh, boys will be boys, lass. You'll come to love it eventually, trust me," Tellah promised.

"Is this also in my blood or something?"

"No; all girls fall for ideals they thought were pointless as children. Likewise, all boys fall for similar ideals they thought were fussy before. When I was your brother's age, I thought that dollies were stupid."

"They are, just a little bit," Porom stated.

"Well I thought they were boring. And then, when my Anna began playing with

them, I thought they were impossibly cute. But then, Anna made everything seem cute when she was little. Children do that a lot; especially to their parents."

"Oh, it looks like they're winding down now," Porom noticed. "I wonder if they need me to heal them?" She jumped up and ran over to Cecil and Palom, sitting in the dirt catching their breaths. She knelt down with them and looked them over: they were both a mess, but they didn't seem hurt.

"You see?" Palom was saying to Cecil. "This is the kind of thing that mom and Porom won't do with me."

"And for good reason," Porom put in. "It's totally barbaric. Do either of you need me to heal you?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope, I'm good," Palom informed. "How 'bout you, Cecil?"

Cecil didn't answer right away. He was just staring at them as if they had just appeared out of nowhere and began talking to him like he was supposed to know them.

"Cecil, are you okay?" Palom asked.

"He zones out like that a lot; haven't you noticed that?" Porom noted.

Cecil blinked a few times and sighed. "I'm sorry I do that so much." He laid a hand on each of their shoulders and stared hard at them, as if he wanted to memorize their faces. It was like he wanted to be able to tell their faces in a crowd from three miles off. He pulled them both close and held onto them tight, as if they were going to slip away.

"You have no idea what you two have done for me," he whispered. His voice sounded shaky, like he was going to cry.

"We didn't do much," Palom insisted.

"No, you've done so much for me. You'll never understand how much you've done. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you. Thank you so much."

"Like, the same sort of things that Rydia did for you?" Porom asked. "She had big spells and was really smart and—"

"No, no, no; this isn't a competition. Don't compare yourself to Rydia, okay?" Cecil insisted. He sniffled and rubbed his eye.

"Did we do something wrong?" Palom asked.

"No, you didn't. I just want to hold you two for a little bit," Cecil answered and cuddled them closer.

"I feel… safe," Palom aid quietly. "For the first time in months, I feel really safe and happy."

"I feel safe too," Porom agreed. "You wouldn't let anything hurt us, would you, Cecil?"

"Of course not. I would never let anything happen to you, ever. I promise."

Porom yawned and covered her mouth. "I'm feeling a little sleepy."

"It's been a long day," Cecil agreed. "Palom, how are you feeling?"

"I'm not tired at all," Palom insisted, though he sounded drowsy.

"We might have to spend the night again; it is starting to get a little late," the paladin announced, eyeing the sinking sun.

"Not so, my friends," Tellah informed. The others all turned to face him and saw him reaching in his pocket. He extracted a small black and silver bauble on a white cord.

"This, children, is a charm that will beam us to the foot of the mountain. They call it an emergency exit charm."

Palom was wide awake again. "Oh boy! That's the emergency exit! I've always wanted to see one!"

"It will take us to the beginning of the trail that led us up here," Tellah informed. "After that, there's a chocobo forest to the southeast. We can pick up one or two and ride them back to the city. We should be able to reach Mysidia in, oh, five hours by chocobo."

"Wow. That's way better han the whole day it took us to walk here," Porom said happily.

"Shall I activate the charm, then?" Tellah asked, rolling the bauble around in his palm.

"Yes, we're ready," Cecil agreed.

"Then everyone gather around; you have to be within five feet of the charm for the magic to work." Everyone came and crowded around Tellah, who began muttering a spell over the charm.

"WARP!"

The world began to spin and the mountain disappeared. When the spinning stopped, they were standing at the base of the mountain, the peak looming ominously over them, just as Tellah had promised. All that was left of the pretty bauble was some fragments of glass in the sage's hand.

"Now then," he said, brushing the glass off his hand, "the chocobo forest is that way." He pointed away to the southeast, where a little cluster of trees stood out in the distance. "It should take us, maybe, 30, 45 minutes to get there."

"Then we should hurry; I'd hate to be caught in the dark with monsters about," Cecil said and walked after Tellah. The twins followed dutifully behind them.

"We didn't get to tell him again!" Palom said frustrated. "And I didn't finish my sword lesson!"

"Maybe we shouldn't tell him at all," Porom reasoned. "We didn't _actually_ spy on him, so we don't really need to tell him that we were supposed to… right?"

"That's good enough for me. Let's just forget about it, then."

"Okay. That does sound good."

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think he loves us," Palom mused.

"I think he does," Porom agreed.

_I wonder if this is what it's like,_ she thought, _to have a dad._

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Ending the chapter on a sweeter note; the next chapter will be a bit sad.

Heehee, mercilessly mocking Tellah's crazy hairdo is fun! I wonder if he uses styling product or if he just gets out of bed and purposefully avoids mirrors?

Okay, enough poking fun at Tellah's weird hygienic habits. Off to Mysidia!


	9. A Long Kept Secret Revealed

Chapter 8: A Long-Kept Secret Revealed

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It was around 10:00 when Mysidia finally came into view. The plain was empty and lit with silvery moonlight, and the sound of waves crashing on the shore came from every direction; the calm, soothing sound had lulled the twins to sleep some time ago. Exactly how they were able to do this was beyond Cecil.

"They must be pretty tired to be able to sleep through this bumpy ride," he said. He was tired too, but it wasn't easy to fall asleep on the back of a running chocobo.

"Well, after elemental archfiends, paladin trials, and sword-lessons, a six-year-old child can sleep through anything," Tellah pointed out.

"True," Cecil agreed, looking down at Porom, who was seated in front of him and fast asleep. She had remained so for the past four hours.

"I certainly hope the Mysidians let me into the city this time; the first time I tried, they tried to stone me to death."

"Nonsense. You're a paladin now! Of course they'll let you in."

After another half hour, the chocobos finally halted before the city wall. Cecil and Tellah dismounted, carrying the twins in their arms, and sent the chocobos on their way. They would instinctively find their ways back to the forest they had come from, and the local monsters wouldn't dare attack something so fast as the sprinted back in the night. The large yellow birds could run tirelessly all day if they so chose; other days they wouldn't move an inch.

The two men walked into the dark, moonlit city and found the streets sparsely occupied by late-night wanderers. Upon walking through the gate, several people looked up and began whispering.

"Who's that?" "Doesn't the blonde guy look like the dark knight? It can't be!" "Isn't that Palom and Porom Faraxhae? The two kids who disappeared?" "I wonder who the old guy is." "I'll bet the dark knight hauled the twins off somewhere and left them for dead; then these nice guys found them and brought them back." "No, the blonde guy _is_ the dark knight! He's just wearing new armor. Can you believe it?"

Tellah could tell from the way Cecil wilted and sighed that the whispering stung. "Don't listen to them, Cecil. They didn't watch you take the trial."

"I know, but it still feels like someone stabbed my heart," Cecil insisted, holding Porom tighter like a teddy bear. She mumbled something, but didn't wake up.

"Come along." Tellah took Cecil by the arm and led him down the street. "Let us find out where these two belong so they can return to their mother. She's probably worried sick."

When they came to the tower, they were slightly surprised to find Dharma standing guard outside. He seemed to have fallen asleep, leaning against the door. At his feet was a bright paper lantern.

"Dharma? Is that you?" Cecil asked. The black mage snorted and shifted his weight, but didn't wake up. Cecil stepped up beside his and shook his shoulder.

"Dharma, wake up; it's Cecil."

Dharma yawned and his yellow eyes appeared as slits from under his hood. "Cecil's not here," he mumbled and closed his eyes again.

"Dharma, wake up!" Cecil shook Dharma hard and the mage woke up with a shout.

"Gah! Wha—? I wasn't sleeping! I'm not tired!" Dharma looked around dazed, and then saw Cecil for the first time.

"Huh? Who are you?"

"Dharma, it's me, Cecil."

"No, Cecil's a…" Dharma looked again and realized that it was, in fact, the same face.

"Oh my gosh! You're back! The Elder had said you were on your way back. Who's the old guy carrying Palom?"

"This is Tellah, the sage," Cecil introduced. Dharma gasped in shock.

"_Tellah_?! Wherever did you find him?!" Dharma cried; if he had skin, he would have paled.

"Um, he was on Mount Ordeals. We found him and he came along with us. Why? You sound so alarmed."

"He's been missing for, for—"

"For 23 years, yes I have," Tellah answered blusterously. "You haven't changed, Dharma."

"You know each other?" Cecil asked. How old _was_ Dharma?

Tellah and Dharma were silent for a moment, staring at each other. Dharma finally cleared his throat nervously.

"The Elder was expecting your return… Follow me," he said in a resigned tone. He opened the door and slinked inside. The two men followed him in.

_What's making them act so strange?_ Cecil wondered.

Down the long, shadowy hall they walked, to where the Elder was waiting before the tall stair case. Sheila stood beside him, holding a lighted candle.

"Sir," Dharma said at almost a whisper, "Cecil has returned victorious, just as you said."

"I told you so," Rai smiled. "And the twins?"

"Both here, sound asleep."

"Aha. Who is this fourth? He was not with you when you left."

"Feh," Tellah scoffed. "You of all people should know, Rai."

Rai's brunette eyebrow rose. "I don't recognize you."

"Well I barely recognized _you_. But it _has_ been 23 years."

"23 years…?" Rai's eyes flew open. "Tellah? Could that really be you?" He sounded like he almost couldn't believe it.

"We can talk later. It's nearing eleven o'clock, and we are all very tired."

Rai looked like he wanted to protest, but he didn't.

"Cecil, can you carry both the children?" he asked.

"At the same time? Sure, without my other things."

"Leave your belongings and armor here; you'll be spending the night here. Return the twins to their home. Dharma, escort him back, please."

"Yessir," Dharma agreed, bowing respectfully.

"And you," Rai said, turning back to Tellah, "leave Palom with Cecil and come with me. I want to talk to you."

"Certainly," Tellah consented grudgingly. Sheila ran to take the boy from the sage and he hurried up the stairs with Rai, vanishing into the study.

"They must be exhausted," Sheila thought out loud, gazing down at Palom. She laid a gentle, sisterly kiss on op of his head. "I'm just so glad that they're safe," she added.

"Our journey was exciting and productive," Cecil agreed, letting Dharma take his shoulder bag. "Dharma, what's with you tonight? You hated me before, and now your being so nice."

"I admit that I had no faith in you, and that I didn't think you would pass the test. Shoot, I didn't think you'd be accepted. But now that you've returned with this grand new armor and your sword of light, I have to say that I was a bit… judgmental," Dharma explained.

"We were both a little harsh on you. We admit that we were wrong to condemn you so quickly," Sheila added. "It only burned harder when our Elder sent the twins with you without telling their mother. We were so afraid for them; they're like our own—"

"Wait a minute, did you say their mother didn't know?" Cecil asked, alarmed.

"No, she didn't," Sheila informed, shaking her head. "Our Elder, her own older brother, promised that he wouldn't send them with you, but he lied to her and sent them with you anyway."

Cecil looked like he would faint. "Oh no… I'm in so much trouble!"

"No, no you're not," Sheila insisted. "Our Elder went to her and implored her—"

"Commanded her," Dharma corrected.

"Yes, _commanded_ her to spare you. He says that the fault lies with himself and that he will take the blame. He knows that you didn't know he had deliberately gone behind his sister's back."

"His _sister_?! Then Palom and Porom are—"

"His niece and nephew? Yes, yes they are," Sheila informed.

"Anything else he didn't tell me?"

"I don't know. He's done a lot of lying about this, but he's convinced that it's all destiny," Dharma explained. "We don't know what he's talking about; we think he might be stating to crack. I mean, the raid _did_ take a tremendous toll on him. He has had this position for a long time; everyone loves him, but it may be time for him to pick a successor. Are you ready to go, then?"

Sheila handed Palom over to Cecil, who took him in his free arm. "You were saying something about them before I interrupted you," he remembered. "Something about them being just like your own…?"

"Oh, I was saying that they're like our own brother and sister," Sheila finished. "They come to school here, instead of in the other magic schools since their uncle is the Elder and because they're so advanced. We see them every day, and we are their primary teachers, so we're quite close to them. But because Dharma and I are either too young or too old to view them as our children we see them as little siblings."

"Cecil, let's be off. The sooner we get these two home, the better," Dharma called from halfway down the hall. Cecil turned and followed him.

"Thank you for taking such good care of them," Sheila called after him. "Thank you _so_ much!"

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Mira was roused from her fitful sleep by loud banging on her door. She jumped up from her bed and ran to answer it. She opened the door and saw Dharma standing beside a tall, blonde man who seemed vaguely familiar man.

The blonde man carried her children in his arms.

Mira gasped, not sure whether to laugh or cry with joy. "They're home! They've come home!" She snatched Porom away and held her close, kissing her hair ceaselessly.

"Why doesn't she stir? Is she alright?"

"She's fine," the man assured her. "They're both fine; they're just sleeping. They've had a busy day."

"Come in, come in, both of you," Mira insisted, taking the blonde man's free hand and pulling him inside. Dharma followed them.

She wiped her eyes and gazed up at the man, who seemed to glow like a star in the dark. "So… You're Cecil, the dark knight who destroyed half our town, stole our crystal, and took the paladin trial to redeem yourself?"

"Yes, that is me."

Mira sobbed, covering her eyes with her hand. She stood there, crying into her hand for a minute, unable to say anything.

"I understand that the Elder went behind your back to send your children with me," Cecil said sadly. "I apologize; I didn't know."

"I… I…" Mira sobbed, trying to get a breath. "I wanted to kill you. For everything you had done, and for taking my children, all I wanted to do was nail you with my Firaja spell. I thought for sure that my children would die, and that you would die as well."

"And then all would have been for nothing," Cecil added.

"Tell me, sir, did my children do well, as my brother claims they did?"

"You have no idea what they have done for me. If they hadn't been there, I would have perished without a doubt."

"Were they brave and strong?"

"More so than anyone so young should be expected to be."

"I suppose I shall speak to my brother again; I promised that I would never speak to him again if they were hurt. They seem to be just fine."

"Ma'am, I really do feel partially responsible for this; I've caused you a lot of pain. If there's anything I can do?"

"Help me put them to bed," Mira requested. "That will be enough."

Cecil nodded.

"Palom's room is the last one down the hall. Watch your step; he's got things all over the floor," she warned. "Oh, Dharma, help yourself to some biscuits and milk, if you want. She and Cecil started down the hall and branched off to different rooms. Forgotten Dharma trudged to the kitchen.

As Mira had warned, navigating Palom's room was a tricky business. But then, navigating _any_ six-year-old's room can be difficult. He finally reached the bed, still unmade, and made quick sense of the blanket and pulled the end down to the foot board. He set Palom down on the mattress, half expecting him to wake up suddenly. The child stirred and mumbled something about oatmeal cookies, and the rolled over on his side, still sleeping and tangled in his red cape.

Cecil shivered; he had been holding one or both of the twins for so long that he felt empty and cold without their warm little bodies so close to him. He rather missed it.

He reached down around Palom's neck an undid the clasp the held his cape. He slipped the cape out from underneath him and folded it across the footboard, where the boy could easily reach it in the morning. He finally pulled the blanket up to Palom's shoulder and stood back, just staring at him. The boy smiled and subconsciously pulled the blanket tightly around himself.

Mira came into the room then and stood in the doorway, watching Cecil watch her son. He was sad; she could feel it. She watched him kneel down beside the bed and take Palom's hand in his own. He held it for a long time, whispering something even though the sleeping child wouldn't hear.

_He loves them,_ Mira realized reluctantly. _He doesn't want to leave them. And... Surely they don't want to leave him. Not after all I know they've been through._

After what seemed like a long time, Cecil reached over and messed Palom's brown hair. He also leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. He finally stood p and began moving toward the door. He noticed Mira standing there and blushed.

"Your children are amazing," he said. His voice was shaking. "I'll miss them terribly."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they said the same of you," Mira added. "I'm sorry for harboring such hatred for you. You protected my children, and you delivered them back to me in one piece. Any man who can do that is genuine, I think. They can be very difficult."

"I think they enjoyed themselves, but I wouldn't ask you—or them—to allow them to continue with me on my journey."

"Where is your journey taking you next?"

"Back to Baron, to find a friend of mine and acquire an airship. I've heard little of my home country for months, but I understand that it's becoming a cesspool. It's no place for small children."

"But you wish they could come?"

"…It would be incredibly dangerous, but I would do anything to have them accompany me."

Mira thought about this. Perhaps it was a selfish desire, but he loved the twins; let alone their magical abilities.

"I have no doubt that you would protect them if they did go with you."

"Thank you… It's getting late. Dharma and I should go. Before I go, I don't think I've gotten your name yet."

"I'm Mira Faraxhae," she introduced, offering her hand. Cecil shook her hand warmly. A few hours ago, she would never have forgiven herself for accepting him. Now that she had seen him, had looked him in the eye, she felt sick for feeling such malice for such a kind person.

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Rai jumped up from his chair so suddenly that he nearly knocked his steaming cup of tea on himself.

"The Meteor spell?! Are you daft, Tellah?!"

"Well, what if I am?" Tellah demanded. "I'll stop at nothing until this Golbez person lies in ashes. And if I die first, so be it. At least I tried; which is more than what you can say for yourself."

"Really, Tellah. Anna's death was a terrible thing, and you've always been one for revenge, but don't you think you're going a little too far?"

"Of course not," Tellah said coolly. "Even if it wasn't my daughter, this man is evil and must be stopped. If it wasn't my daughter, it would have been someone else's; someone who would not have had the knowledge or assets to slay him, no matter how badly he thirsted for revenge."

"You should not thirst for revenge at all," Rai countered.

"You never did believe in revenge; I never understood it."

"You always _did_ believe in revenge; I never understood it."

"Can we agree to disagree, then? Like we always did?"

"Tellah, it's not that simple now. This man is controlling Baron, stealing the crystals, and manipulating the people; he has great power and he is using it for evil. All this news you bring from these far-off places—Baron, Damcyan, Fabul, even Mist—it's all very troubling. I hardly think that chasing the forbidden spells is a worthwhile way to spend your time."

"I don't want all of them. I just wanted Meteor. And now I have it. I'm done with the forbidden spells. You know that I've always been entranced by Meteor."

"A terrible weakness. I hope you haven't been giving Palom any fancy ideas about these spells. A braggart like him will be after them as soon as he's mastered all the –Ja leveled spells."

"He _is_ a Faraxhae, isn't he? He can handle it. Besides, we both know what powers _you_ possess."

"I don't speak of that anymore."

"You don't speak of the Blitzkrieg anymore? Why not?"

"If I did, think of the trouble it could cause."

"I prefer to think of the power it could grant you access to."

"I thought you just wanted revenge."

Tellah flipped his purple-tinted glasses down and looked Rai straight in the eye, his trademark-violet eyes glinting mischievously.

"Revenge is one of many things I want, Rai. It would take me all night to list them all."

"Tell me more of your travels," Rai requested, sitting back down in his chair. "What other news do you have for me?"

"Plenty. Let's see… Where was I?"

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Palom woke up feeling different, but very comfortable. He opened his eyes to darkness, wondering where he was. The last thing he remembered was bumping along on a chocobo with Tellah.

The material he was sleeping on and under felt wonderfully soft; far too soft to be rock or even grass. He felt the thing on top of him and realized that it was a blanket. The thing under him was a mattress, and a pillow.

He sat up straight, looking around for someone. His eyes adjusted to the faint light and he could see that he was back in his room, as if he had never been gone and his whole adventure had been a dream.

But it couldn't have been: he was still dressed and he was still wearing his shoes.

Feeling pretty scared, he threw off his blanket and ran to the door, stumbling over his toys as he went. He ran down the hall to Porom's room and went inside, praying that she was there. She was, still sound asleep. He ran to the bed and jumped on it, shaking his twin.

"Porom! Porom, wake up! Wake up!"

Porom came around slowly, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Where am I?" she asked drowsily.

"We're back home, in your bedroom, in Mysidia," Palom informed. Porom bolted up, confused and scared as he was.

"How did we get here? Where are Cecil and Tellah?" she asked.

"I don't know. Do you think they left Mysidia already?"

"Where would they have gone?"

"I dunno, but what if they did? They need us!"

"Let's try the tower," Porom suggested. She jumped down off the bed and started searching for her shoes and cape. She found her shoes by the bed and tugged the on, not bothering to fasten them, and threw her cape around her neck, fastening the clasp as she ran for the door. Palom ran after her, not bothering to get his cape at all. He had his shoes on his feet already; that was enough.

They burst out the door, headed for the tower as fast as they could go. Somewhere behind them they heard their mother calling their names; she was probably running after them, but they didn't stop to look. They finally came to the tower and ran in, not caring if they were waking anyone up.

"Cecil! Are you here?" Palom yelled, praying that the knight would appear from somewhere.

Cecil stepped out of the shadows and into the hall, rubbing his eyes, but looking surprised to see them. His hair was a mess, and he wasn't wearing his armor.

"What are you doing—"

The twins crashed into him and they all fell on the floor. They were clinging to him and crying as if someone had just died.

"Please don't go! Don't leave without us!" Porom begged through sobs.

"What are you talking about?" Cecil asked, holding them close and trying to calm them down.

"We woke up and you weren't there and (sob) and we thought you had left us alone here and you were never coming back!" Palom cried. "We don't want you to leave us here! We want to stay with you!"

"We love you, Cecil! You're like our big brother! Please let us go with you when you leave!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa; calm down, both of you. I'm not going anywhere yet."

The twins sniffed in unison. "You're not?" Porom asked, taking deep breaths.

"No, I'm not. I'm not leaving until tomorrow."

"But that's so soon!" Palom protested. "We won't have any time to pack or anything!"

"It's five o'clock in the morning. Didn't you look at a clock?"

The twins looked away sheepishly.

"Your mother is standing in the front doorway," Cecil informed.

"Sheila and Dharma are on the veranda too," Porom added.

"Look, I want you guys to do something for me, okay?" Cecil asked.

"What is it?" Palom asked.

"I want you to go home with your mother, get back in bed, and go back to sleep. I'll still be here in the morning."

"But we're still going with you when you do go, right?" Porom asked hopefully.

"Ah… I'll think about it."

The twins wilted. "That always means no," Palom whined.

"It _means_ I'll think about it. Maybe you can come," Cecil reasoned. "I'll talk with your mother about it."

"I have a better idea," said a voice behind them. The twins looked over their shoulders and saw their mother standing over them, looking peeved.

"It was probably a shock, waking up so disoriented. If you two want, you can stay here," she offered.

The twins beamed. "Do you really mean it?" Palom asked.

"On one condition: I don't' believe I got a hug when you got home." She knelt down and embraced her children for a long moment.

"We're sorry we couldn't tell you about all this," Porom apologized.

"Elder said that we only needed his permission and then he ordered us not to say anything to you," Palom explained. "We really wanted to say something, but we couldn't."

"I know just how you feel," Mira comforted. "I'll have to have a little chat with him…"

"So we can stay with Cecil for the rest of the night?" Porom confirmed.

"Yes, dearest one, you may," Mira said. Kissing them both on the forehead.

Sheila and Dharma sighed, relieved that the commotion wasn't anything serious, and went back to bed. They wondered vaguely why Tellah and the Elder hadn't come out to see what was going on.

22222222222

Cecil fell asleep sitting against a wall with Porom in his arms and Palom resting his head on his leg. It wasn't the most comfortable way he'd ever slept, but he was glad to have the twins with him again. As early as it was, his mind was busy trying to fabricate a way to include the twins in his journey to Baron. Surely there was a way.

After a while, the nearby clock chimed 7:00 and the twins began to stir. Sheila and Dharma came out of a door on the veranda, came down the stairs, and went through a nearby door. It was still again, and then voices from upstairs on the veranda woke them all up. Palom sat up and yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"I dreamed that Scarmiglione was offering me oatmeal cookies…" he mumbled.

Porom looked around and seemed to remember where she was and what had happened. She smiled happily and snuggled closer to Cecil, who squeezed her and gave her a kiss on top of her head.

"Hey, who's up there?" Palom wondered, looking up at the veranda. Cecil and Porom looked upward and listened to the conversation.

"...think that? Just because she may have known Hurricane doesn't mean anything."

"That's Tellah," Cecil poointed out, wondering what the sage meant by Hurricane.

"I never said that it _was_ her, I was just curious. It _is_ a possibility."

"And that's the Elder," Porom added. This conversation was getting more and more interesting with every word; the three of them barely breathed, lest they missed something.

"You've got a lot of nerve accusing Sammy. We were thousands of miles away! Anna was only--what?--17 when this happened! We had nothing to do with it."

"Jackie was an old friend of yours, and he betrayed you bitterly. A lot of people have been suspicious since he vanished... And I'll admit that I was one of them."

"I couldn't kill my baby sister's husband! Nor could I let my wife kill him."

"My, what an example you must be setting for the twins. How ever did Anna turn out so well? Or did she believe in revenge as much as you?"

Tellah growled and stomped his foot on the veranda. "Why should I have to set an example for them? They aren't _my_ children; they aren't even coming with us to Baron, if Mira can help it."

"Your children, they are not--and for that, I am greatful. But they _are_ your niece and nephew, _brother_."

"Listen to me, Rai: I have been trying to forget about this place for 23 years. And I came this close. And now, for the first time since I was Cecil's age, I actually had need of some things here, so I came back for a few days. If I knew that coming back would bring me in close contact with _you_, I wouldn't have come at all."

"Did I really make you _that_ mad? And what was it all over? Can you even remember now?"

There was the sound of footsteps and a door slammed. The conversation was over.

Cecil and the twins all sat ridged, trying to process the amazing conversation they had overheard. Somewhere inside him, Cecil felt like he had come out on top of something. Tellah _was_ a Faraxhae all along! The temper, the spells, the _purple glasses_—it was all right there the whole time!

The twins, however, didn't look so excited. They looked stunned and slightly hurt. Tellah was their _uncle_? Where had he been for so long? And why did he seem so angry all of a sudden?

Rai was coming down the stairs, looking tired and utterly defeated. He was rubbing his forehead with his hand, worried. He sighed and wiped his eyes. He glanced around and noticed after a second that the three were all wide awake, staring at him in disbelief.

"Good morning everyone," he said tiredly. "Good to see you kids back okay."

The twins were silent. Either they had nothing to say to him for what he had done to them, or they couldn't think of what to say about what they had just heard.

"Elder, I think you owe all three of us an explanation for all this," Cecil stated for them.

"Oh… You heard all of that, didn't you," Rai guessed.

"Most of it, yes," Cecil agreed.

Rai sighed again.

"Come on, all of you," he said flatly, beckoning them to follow him to a nearby door.

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Ooh! Family tension! This is just getting juicier and juicier by the moment!

Don't miss the little gag in Palom's dream: "Come to the dark side; we have cookies!"

By the way, THE OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY IN BEIJING WAS AWESOME!!

(Gasps for breath)

It was just lovely! If you didn't see it, try to catch parts of it on NBC's Olympics pages; it lasted from eight to midnight, though, so set aside some free time to watch the whole thing, if you want. A good deal of it was the countries parading in.

Also, 08-08-08 happens to be the 2-year anniversary of Final Fantasy Four-and-a-Half's publishing! For those of you who don't know, that was my first real epic fic. I published the first chapter on August 8, 2006. Ah, what a small world…

Feel free to check it out too. It has a small prologue called "Offbeat" and a sequel called "Paladin Wars". Palom and Porom are in these stories too, but nothing crosses over; this is on a completely different plane.

Oh! And this is the eighth chapter fo this story! The eighth chapter, published on 08-08-08, along with everything else...? I love big coincidences like this. X)

Also, I think that Dharma has a Chinese accent. I don't think that's very important, but you might like to know that.

Jai-Jing!


	10. The Circus Maximus

Oh wow… I actually have something to say before we begin.

I'm sorry for how long this chapter took. I had it all raring and ready to go, but my computer ate _everything_ I had done and I had to start all over again. I'm _really_ mad about it… It was a great chapter. T.T

Anywho, I believe that Rai had some secrets to explain…

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Chapter 9: The Circus Maximus

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Rai led the others through the door that his assistants had gone through a few minutes earlier. They now found themselves in a kitchen/dining room. Sheila and Dharma were busy preparing breakfast, which looked to be eggs, corn porridge, and a variety of local fruits such as bananas, coconuts, and mangoes.

"Sir, we heard Tellah yelling," Sheila noted to the Elder. "Is there anything we can do?"

"Not now, Sheila," Rai dismissed, sinking into a chair at the table.

_What am I going to tell these three?_ He wondered. _Where do I start?_

Porom climbed into the chair across the table from him. She crossed her arms on the tabletop and set her chin down on her wrists with a sour look on her face. Palom muttered his levitation spell and rose up above the tabletop, sitting cross-legged in the air, folding his arms angrily, and looking very angry. Instead of sitting in a chair, Cecil set his hands on the back of Porom's chair and braced himself against it. He looked exasperated and a bit peeved.

Rai gazed at them all, still not sure what he would say to them. "I know that you've probably got a list of questions about two miles long right now. I'm not sure where we should start."

"How about at the beginning?" Cecil suggested. "Who exactly _is_ Tellah?"

Dharma dropped an egg on the floor, which splattered on everything in a two foot radius. Sheila gasped in alarm and pain and then stuck two fingers into her mouth, having just burnt them on the hot stove. She tried to say something, but since her fingers got in the way no one could tell what she was saying.

"What was that, Sheila?" Rai asked.

Dharma jumped in before she could answer. "We thought that you and Mira were never going to talk abut this again."

"What??" the twins chorused.

Rai wilted and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Tellah caused a lot of problems the last few months that he lived here. He brought quite a bit of shame on the family; we were thinking about kicking him out, but he left on his own before we could decide."

"So he really _is_ our uncle?" Palom asked.

"He is, er… my older… my…"

Cecil groaned. "I don't have any leave to speak to _you_ so sharply, but this is getting absolutely ridiculous," he said. "No more beating about the bush; out with it, already!"

"I'm sorry; it's just been so long sine I've said it," Rai said sheepishly. He took a deep breath. "Tellah is… my twin brother."

The twins gasped; Palom nearly fell over and Porom looked like she was going to cry. Cecil's jaw nearly fell off his face. Sheila and Dharma just sighed sadly and shook their heads.

"He was your _twin_ and you were going to kick him out?!" Cecil exclaimed when he found his voice again. "What on earth did he do?!"

"He cheated at one of our most important races," Dharma answered, finishing cleaning up his broken egg. "Cecil, do you know how we decide on our next Elder?"

"I'm afraid I don't," the paladin answered.

"No, you wouldn't. We chose by rounding up all the best mages in the city, all between the ages of, oh, 18 and 25. These kids must then go through a series of tests of skill; simple one-on-one magical battles. Of course, the loser is eliminated and the winner advances. Eventually, you are left with the two strongest challengers, and the fight. The winner becomes the new Elder.

"Naturally, Tellah, Rai, and Mira were all participants in this race. And no one doubted that one of them would rise to take the title. They all got very far in the running, until, one day, Mira wound up facing off with Tellah and she was expelled from the race."

"Not that she minded," Sheila put in. "She was in love with a boy at the time."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Palom asked sourly.

"One of the rules of the race is that you aren't allowed to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. The point of being the Elder is that you're supposed to be dedicated totally to the wellness of the city, and to his or her craft. It's a bit hard to do all that when you have a husband or a wife, or kids," Sheila explained, bringing over several steaming plates of food. She carried them over on her arms, like a professional waitress, and set them gracefully before everyone at the table.

"Eat up," she insisted when Cecil and the twins hesitated to pick up their forks. "You've been on that mountain for half a week, and you never did eat dinner last night; you must all be half starved."

Porom handed a plate and a fork up to her brother and they both started eating ravenously. Cecil took a seat beside Porom and tried to eat a little slower and neater than they.

"Please, continue," he insisted. "We're listening."

Sheila and Dharma joined them at the table with plates of their own, and Rai picked up the story from where Sheila had left off.

"So, anyways," he said, ignoring his plate, "Mira left the race with her head held high and went off the court her boy. Tellah and I remained, with many others, of course; including Dharma."

Porom looked up, interested. "_You_ were in the race too?"

"I'm your uncle's age; I've been his friend for longer than you think," the black mage informed proudly.

"Aside from the three of us," Rai continued, "there was also a young woman named Samantha. We'd all known Sammy since we were little boys; she and Mira were good friends. She was incredible talented; she also got very far in the running.

"She was a sweet girl, Sammy," he reminisced. "She was sprightly lass: slightly smaller than average, soft dreamy brown eyes, long firry red hair; she always reminded me of a little pixie person."

"You sound like a teenager again," Dharma interjected.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rai said, shaking his head sharply as if waking from a dream.

"You loved her?" Porom guessed, shoving her plate back to Sheila; even though she used no word, it was plain that she wanted more. Sheila rose from her chair, taking the plate back to the stove and glopping more eggs and porridge onto the plate.

"It's rather safe to say that most of the boys in the race were in love with her," Rai admitted. "I mean, she was irresistible. Her ruthlessness in battle, the way she handled herself in a tough situation, the way she floored everyone she faced—boy _or_ girl—there was just something about the woman that made us all melt. All the boys wanted her, all the girls wanted to be her, and there she was on her own little pedestal, so unattainably out of reach… even for her friends."

"But what does that have to do with Tellah cheating?" Palom asked. He held out his empty plate. "Can I have some more?"

"I'll take it," Sheila said, taking the plate to the stove.

"Tellah used her to cheat," Rai answered.

Cecil choked on his food. "He _used_ her?"

"She also used _him_," Rai added. "I didn't find this out until later, but they had been seeing each other in secret for most of the race."

"They broke the rule, and they did it happily," Dharma sighed. "They should have both been disqualified."

"So what did they do?" Palom asked.

"On a day when Sammy was to battle someone, Tellah would go and rig the battle somehow. Not anything obvious, not even something that would do much damage. But it would take just enough out of her opponent so that she could get an easy shot. The advantages his rigs gave her, plus her already formidable power, made her totally unstoppable."

"And then she went and did the same thing for him," Dharma finished. "I was tossed by Sammy a few weeks before the final. By then, it was down to Sammy, Tellah, and Rai. The competition was fierce; the three names were put in a hat and two were drawn to face each other: it was Sammy versus Tellah."

Cecil choked again, this time with laughter.

"_That's_ irony," he gasped between coughs.

"So who was eliminated?" Porom asked excitedly.

"Sammy," Dharma answered. "Now it was down to the infamous Faraxhae brothers. Needless to say that we were all incredibly excited."

"This battle also happened to coincide with Mira's honeymoon," Sheila added. "She married her boy, Jackie, and they were packing to leave for their honeymoon when Tellah defeated Sammy. They were set to leave as soon as one of her brothers won."

"Wait, wait, wait," Palom interrupted. "Mom married the guy she was dating when she got kicked out of the race?"

"She did," Sheila answered. The twins stared at her like she had said something horrible.

"Why are you looking at her like that?" Rai asked.

"What happened to him?" Porom asked, standing up on the chair.

"Your mother never told you?" Rai asked, sounding surprised.

The twins shook their heads in disbelief.

The other mages all sighed sadly.

"He disappeared a few months before you were born," Dharma answered. "He was lost at sea."

The twins wilted.

"She never told us anything about him," Palom mumbled.

"Cheer up a little bit," Rai insisted. "He was the one who discovered what had been going on with Tellah and Sammy."

"Really?" Porom asked, perking up a little.

"And just in time, too," Sheila added. "With Sammy's help, Tellah beat Rai soundly and won the title of Elder."

"Tellah was the Elder??" Cecil asked.

"Only for a few weeks, until Jackie figured out how they had been winning so easily. The first thing he did was run to Rai and Mira," Sheila explained.

"What did you do about him?" Palom asked.

"We trekked up Mount Ordeals to seek out some help," Rai answered.

"Some help? On the mountain? What, were you going to round up some monsters or something?" Cecil asked.

"We were looking for some… spells," Rai corrected.

"You mean, you and Mira were looking for Meteor as well?"

"Not _Meteor_, per se."

"The forbidden spells," the twins breathed together.

Rai nodded. "Yes, we were looking for the forbidden spells."

"Is that where Tellah got the idea?" Palom asked.

"No, _we_ got it from _him_. He's been obsessed with Meteor since he was ten. Mira and I thought they were pretty neat, but it wasn't like we were as interested in them as he was."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Cecil asked.

"I gained the Blitzkrieg spell; it unleashes a lightning spell so powerful that it can kill every living water creature within 20 miles of the casting point. As for Mira, she came away with the spell Iceblink."

"Let me guess, a really big Blizzard spell?" Cecil guessed.

"Capable of turning a desert to an ice cap in a matter of hours," Rai informed.

"How many forbidden spells are there, anyway?" Cecil asked.

"There are six," Rai informed. "Meteor, Blitzkrieg, and Iceblink you know. Then there are Tangle (a plant spell), Twister (a wind spell), and Hurricane (a water spell)."

"Actually, this was something else that Jackie discovered about Sammy," Dharma added. "During the race, she went on vacation outside of the city for several days. It turned out that she had slipped away to the mountain to learn a forbidden spell. This was enough to disqualify her in and of itself. It was to be a last resort; she used it in her battle against Tellah. It didn't matter; she was out of the race either way."

"Which one was it?" Porom asked.

"Hurricane, I believe," Rai answered.

"Your father stumbled over all of this the night before he and your mother were to leave. It ended postponing their honeymoon for a few months; there were several trials and other proceedings when he exposed them," Sheila said sadly.

"What for?" Cecil asked.

"Interrogating Sammy and Tellah took a few weeks by itself, mainly because it was interrogating the Elder. (Which almost never happens, and it very tricky when it _does_ happens.) And then there was interviewing Mira, Jackie, and Rai to see what else they knew. And then there was all the formality with deposing Tellah and finding something to do with him and Sammy, and then, finally, more formality with installing the first runner up as the Elder—the first runner up, being Rai," Sheila explained.

"There were many people—Tellah and Sammy included—who didn't think it was fair that I became the Elder by default. It took a while to calm them down. During this time, Jackie and Mira managed to slip away, and they didn't come back until things were settled again," Rai added. "I don't blame them.

"Of course, by that time Sammy and Tellah were still under house arrest, and I was still trying to figure out a good punishment for them. A lot of people called for their banishment, and I was thinking that it was the best choice for everyone. After all, after the things they had done, they could never be accepted again. However, a few days after Mira and Jackie returned, Tellah and Sammy had disappeared. They never left a note or anything saying where they had gone. They were just… gone."

"They never even wrote or returned to visit. Not that they would have been welcomed warmly if they had comeback," Dharma added.

"What about our dad?" Porom pressed. "What happened to him?"

"Your father… he vanished as well, about seven years ago," Sheila said. "Seven year to the day in a few weeks, I believe. He was on a ship headed to Baron for a trading mission. Your mother was three months pregnant with you kids when he left. While he was away, we were hit with a long rain storm. It didn't do much damage, but we were all nervous about the ship your father was on. The wind and rain subsided, and a few weeks passed. We received a letter from baron, asking about the ship and if it had been delayed, because it hadn't arrived. A few more weeks later, they sent another letter, saying once again that the ship still hadn't come into port. Mysidian _and_ Baronian ships set sail to search for the lost ship, but no trace of it was ever found. No debris, no bodies, not a whisper of the ship's whereabouts anywhere. It seemed that every other ship that had been in the area during the storm had made it to its destination except that one."

"Sounds like a conspiracy to me," Cecil muttered.

"We have thought about that," Rai agreed. "Sammy _did_ know the Hurricane spell."

"I don't know if it was Sammy; she would have been living in Kaipo, with Tellah and Anna seven years ago. In fact, she might have been… dead seven years ago. I know that Tellah had a wife and that she's been dead for some time now. Red hair, brown eyes, you say?" Cecil asked.

"Yes, yes indeed," Rai said, nodding his head.

"Anna, too, had red hair and brown eyes."

"Hmmm…"

"Is there any chance that dad is still alive somewhere?" Palom asked hopefully.

"Well, we certainly like to think so," Dharma answered. "He wasn't good enough to enter the race, but he was a good friend. In fact, he wasn't very talented with magic at all. He worked at the sundries shop in the inn."

"Do you really think he could still be alive?" Porom asked.

"We hope he is, but the chances are almost non-existent," Sheila said sadly.

The twins were silent.

"…Why didn't you tell us any of this?" Palom asked.

"You're small children yet," Sheila said. "How do you explain these sorts of things to six year olds?"

"And anyway, you never asked," Dharma added.

"I can't believe that we had an uncle and a cousin out there and we never knew about it," Porom lamented. "And now Anna's dead and we'll never be able to see her."

"Can I ask you kids a very important question?" Rai asked. "When Cecil goes back to Baron, Tellah is going with him. You were quite intent on accompanying them, yes?"

"Yeah; we really, _really_ want to go with them."

"Even knowing all this about Tellah, you still want to go with them?"

Palom made a dismissive noise. "We don't want to go with Tellah."

"We want to go with Cecil," Porom finished for him.

Sheila and Dharma smiled to themselves at the twin's cuteness.

"You think they can go?" Sheila asked Rai.

"I was intending for them to go back to their lessons at the end," Rai admitted.

"Aw man! We don't to go back to our lessons! That's no fun at all!" Palom protested.

"I wasn't finished," Rai interrupted. "That was before I knew you'd get so attached to him. And I think that he can still use your help. Your mother will hit me with more nasty Fire spells, but it will be worth it in the end. I know it. That is, if Cecil is willing."

"Are you kidding? I couldn't leave them here if I wanted to," Cecil said brightly.

"Even knowing that they were spying on you?" Dharma asked.

"Yes, even though they were—what?"

"Well, to say that I only sent them to help you would be grossly inaccurate," Rai admitted.

Cecil turned to the twins. "Is this true, guys?"

They both turned away and blushed deeply.

"We didn't, really," Porom insisted. "He told us to, and we were going to, but we just couldn't."

"Yeah," Palom agreed. "We… we ended up liking you too much. Even when you were still a dark knight, you weren't so bad. In fact, going up the mountain, you were really nice and we thought, you know, that maybe we didn't need to spy on you. So we didn't."

Rai laughed. "I wondered if it would turn out like this."

"So, can we go with them again?" Porom asked.

"You have my leave. You have the rest of the day to get ready; I'd suggest you use your time wisely."

Porom jumped onto the floor with a whoop and dashed for the door.

"Hey! Porom, wait for me!" Palom yelled. He jumped to the floor and ran after her.

"Hm. This has been about the most interesting breakfast I've ever been a part of," Cecil stated. "Believe it or not, I stopped thinking about Rosa for a little while."

"It's only half past seven," Sheila noted, taking the empty plates around the table. "Dharma, help me get this place shaped up."

"I'll help you," Cecil offered. "I don't think the twins can cause _too_ much trouble in the meantime."

"Oh, thank you, Cecil," Sheila said sweetly.

"It's no problem."

22222222222

Tellah was startled out of his angry reverie by a light knocking on the door. He expected to find one of the annoying interns on the other side, but was cheered and a bit intimidated to find the twins instead.

"Good morning, kids. I heard that you came to spend the night last night."

"We heard that you're our uncle," Palom added.

Tellah felt like a ton of bricks had just dropped on his head.

"Don't tell me that you heard that argument earlier."

"We did. Every word," Porom informed.

"And Rai told about me?"

"And Cecil too," Palom informed.

"…So, what do you kids think?"

"Well, we wish you and Anna and Sammy had been here with us. Maybe, if you had been here, they wouldn't have had to die," Porom suggested.

"Perhaps not," Tellah agreed. "How's your mother?"

"She's okay, I guess. Want to see her?"

Tellah nodded. "I'd like that. Oh, and your father? Has he been doing alright?"

The twins bowed their heads sadly.

"He didn't die as well?"

"Maybe he did. We don't know," Porom lamented.

Tellah felt terrible for them, but he didn't want to press them further. He'd talk to Mira about it and get the full story. He hadn't planned on seeing her, but maybe it would do them both some good.

"Lead the way, kids. It'll be good to see my baby sister again."

The twins brightened.

"Maybe, when Cecil finds what he's looking for and he doesn't need our help anymore, you can come back here with us and we can all be a family," Palom thought. "And then, when we come back, we can find out if dad is alive! We can all do it together!"

Tellah smiled his nephew's enthusiasm.

"I'm sure that we will. A family can do anything. If only they can work together."

"Maybe that's what mom's problem is," Porom said as she and he brother led the way down the stairs.

"What do you mean?" Tellah asked.

"Well, she doesn't really use any of her cool spells anymore," Palom explained. Neither does uncle Rai. Not unless they really need to. And then you couldn't remember any of your spells. Do you think it's because you lost all of your family until you found us?"

Tellah hadn't thought of this. This was an excellent idea; they really were prodigies!

"Perhaps we'll grab a bite to eat somewhere on the way," Tellah thought. "I haven't had a descent square meal in weeks."

22222222222

(Church choir sings) AHLELUIAH!!

I can't believe that I finally got around to finishing this chapter! I did most of it in a single day. I'm so pleased!

It sounds so much better now that I had some time to think before I actually wrote. The timing didn't make sense at all the first time I wrote the chapter. I guess that it's a good thing I had some time to step back and think for a bit. This whole chapter is completely independent of the game, so it's not like I had a guide. I hope you liked all the kinks!

Well, most of the next chapter won't exactly be guided either, so I should do some more thinking, I guess.

Ciao!


	11. Preparations

Chapter 10: Preparations

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"Where are you going?" Dharma asked casually.

"Back to the market district," Cecil informed. "Most of our supplies are gone; we'll need more hi-potions, and tents. We're also low on food; the way Porom eats, I'm surprised that there's ever any food in the tower, or in her house."

"She certainly does eat a lot," Dharma agreed. "Need any help with your shopping?"

"I think I'll be alright, but thank you for the offer."

"Oh, but I need to go out anyway; grocery shopping to be done, you know? Sadly, there are still things I need to get done here. Perhaps I shall catch up with you a little later."

"Why not send Sheila in your place?" Cecil suggested.

Dharma nodded. "That is an excellent idea! I shall go fetch her right away." He scurried off to find the white mage in the kitchen.

Cecil sighed and checked the contents of his purse once more. He hadn't anticipated company, but it would be nice to have some, all the same. Satisfied with the number of shiny gil in his purse, he closed the small bag and stuffed it back in his pocket. He wondered vaguely where Tellah and the twins had gone, and if he and Sheila would run into them at the market.

Sheila appeared in the doorway with a wicker basket and a list. Dressed in a light white mage's robe, with her pink hair pulled back in a pony-tail, she looked happy and excited, if not just a little sheepish.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes, I am. Let's go," Cecil said happily. He started off for the door and Sheila followed him.

22222222222

Tellah hesitated to knock on the door, and Palom couldn't understand why. If _he_ had been away from his little sister for, what, 23 years, he would have been tearing the door down to see her.

"Just knock already," he pressed impatiently. "What are you waiting for?"

"I… I don't know," Tellah admitted. "I was so excited to see Mira again, but I'm suddenly a little nervous."

"Why be nervous?" Porom asked. "She's your sister; she'll be happy to see you again, won't she? She mentions you all the time. She's always saying things like, "If only Tellah were here", and, "Tellah would have known what to do", and other things like that."

"But what would I say to her?"

"Tell her about where you went," Porom offered. "I've never heard of the town you went to, but you lived there for a long time, so you must have liked it."

"That is true," Tellah agreed. "But… I'm just too nervous."

"Then _we'll_ knock for you," Palom announced and pounded on the door. Porom smacked him again.

"Let _him_ knock! He's a grown-up; he doesn't need help," she scolded.

As she finished speaking, the door opened.

"Is that you, kids?" Mira asked excitedly, coming onto the front step. She beamed to see her children, and then stared curiously at the stranger.

"…Who's this?" she asked.

The twins looked up at Tellah, waiting for him to answer. At first, Tellah didn't seem to know what to say.

"…You're looking good, Mira," he stammered.

Mira cocked her head to one side. "Have we met?"

"You still look so pretty in purple; almost all the clothing in your closet was some shade of purple when you were a little girl, remember?"

Mira scoffed. "Now, I_ know_ that I had a blue parka at some point. I only wore it in winter, but it's something."

"You mean the one with the black buttons, and the fur lining?"

Mira nodded proudly. "That's the one… How did you know that?"

Tellah flicked his purple-tinted glasses down his nose, revealing his violet eyes.

"I was the one who accidentally set it on fire when you were seven, remember?"

Mira gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth, breathing deeply.

"I… I know that I've been gone for a long time," Tellah started, "but I was on the mountaintop, and—"

Mira shrieked in an alarmingly gleeful fashion and jumped at Tellah. She threw her arms around him, crying. The twins backed away, slightly unnerved by their mother's outburst.

"You came back! You've come home at last! I can't believe it!" she sobbed into Tellah's shoulder.

Tellah hugged her back. "Yes, so I have."

Mira stepped back, gazing at her oldest brother. "When did you get here? Where have you been? How is—"

"I was up on the mountain," Tellah interjected.

"The mountain…Meteor?" Mira guessed.

Tellah grinned. "At long last, the spell is mine."

"We found him halfway to the summit a few days ago and he came with us," Porom explained.

"Yeah. He'd forgotten most of his cool spells, but then he remembered them when Cecil became a paladin. It was really cool," Palom added.

"I've been at the tower, talking with Rai all night. As you can imagine, we had a lot to catch up on," Tellah concluded.

Mira's eyes darted around, a sign that she was trying to figure something out. "I don't understand. You disappeared for 23 years, and then suddenly return to get Meteor on a whim? I know you've always wanted the spell, but it's not like you to do something like this so suddenly."

"I know. It's just something that I had to do; like when Sammy and I fled the island."

"Then… why?"

"My daughter was killed, and I aim to avenge her with Meteor."

Mira's eye widened. "You had a daughter? Wh—who killed her? What has happened?" she asked.

"Perhaps we should go inside," Tellah suggested.

"Do you need us to come too?" Palom asked.

"You and Porom go find out what Cecil's doing; surely he needs help preparing for the next journey," Tellah advised.

Happy to be of help, the twins nodded and dashed off.

"Explaining about Anna and that Golbez guy is going to take him a long time," Porom pointed out. "He might stay behind all together to hang around with mom."

"I hope not," Palom said, shaking his head. "We _just_ learned Cura and Fira; we need him when we go to Baron."

"That's a good point. I wonder if Cecil's buying more of those yummy sweet rolls?"

"I hope so. We'll have to remind him to buy twice as many, so the rest of us can actually have some this time."

"You had some too."

"I had _one_, because you ate them all, by yourself."

"I did not!"

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't!"

"Whatever. Do you think I can trade in my crumby fire staff for something better? Maybe I can get a dagger! There was a really cool model in stock at the weapon store last week."

Porom rolled her eyes. "I want a muffin," she stated. "Let's go get some!"

22222222222

Cecil stepped out of the inn, where the sundry shop was located. He had been inside for 20 minutes, buying, selling, and haggling with the woman at the counter, who evidently still didn't trust him. The sun shone bright and blinded him momentarily, though it gave off little warmth. It was October, and chilly winds blew through the streets.

_It's going to be pretty cold in Baron as well,_ he realized. _I'll have to make sure that Palom and Porom have coats before we leave._

Sheila was standing near the door, her wicker basket full and both hands on the handle. She was staring off into space, thinking to herself.

"Have you been waiting out here all this time?" Cecil asked, pulling Sheila's attention out of space.

"I have been," she answered.

"But your basket is so full, and it's so chilly," he pointed out. "You should head back to the tower with all that stuff, get yourself out of the cold."

"It's sweet of you to worry, but I'm really alright," she insisted. "I'd like to continue to accompany you. I've had a wonderful time."

"Would you like me to carry that basket for you?" Cecil asked, reaching out and taking the basket without waiting for a response.

"You don't have to do that; I've got it under control. And you've already got so much to carry. We've been out for nearly three hours, and you're not done yet."

"I've carried loads twice the heavy through caverns and mountains on my back, and then carried a child when she got to weary to go on," Cecil explained. "This is _nothing_." He began walking down the sidewalk, prompting Sheila to follow.

"What did you say the little girl's name was?"

"Rydia. She was about a year older than the twins when—when it happened."

"I'm truly sorry for your loss. You've been through so much, and so suddenly; I wish that there was something I could do to help."

"It's a burden that I wouldn't wish on anyone. The journey is mine, but some people just insist on helping me and there isn't anything that I can do about it," Cecil explained.

"Like the twins? And Tellah?"

"Yes; and others in the past. It makes me nervous, because the last time a group of people volunteered to help me, they all died in a shipwreck... I think. If anything like that were to happen to the twins, I don't know if I could live with myself."

"You and Tellah will protect them; I know it," Sheila comforted.

"I'm glad I have your confidence," Cecil replied, smiling down at her. "It so—Hey! I think I see the twins up ahead."

"Really? Where?" Sheila used her hand as a visor and peered through the crowd. Sure enough, Palom and Porom were about 30 yards ahead of them, peering into a shop window. She and Cecil ran over to them.

"Hey, kids," Cecil greeted, prying their attention away form the window. "What's up?"

"We've been looking for you, Cecil," Porom said cheerily. "We've been searching for about two hours."

"Yeah," Palom added. "We though we'd never find you in this crowd."

Cecil looked into the shop window. "What are you looking at?"

"It's an armor shop," Porom informed. She and Palom looked back into the window.

"Check out that Gaia gear," Palom said, pointing to a cuirass made of a brown metal. "It's so cool!"

"I really like that plumed hat," Porom said dreamily, indicating a red-brown leather hat with a fluffy white feather in the brim.

"How does a hat count as armor?" Palom scoffed, earning a firm whack.

"Is there anything that Tellah and I can use?" Cecil wondered out loud. "Want to go and check it out?"

"You bet we do!" Palom agreed. "We wanted to go inside, but the shopkeeper won't let us in without an adult because he says we're irresponsible."

"Maybe that's because he's smart," Cecil suggested and walked in the door, prompting the other three to follow him in. He hadn't realized how numb his fingers and nose had grown until he stepped inside the warm shop, and wondered if the shop also sold coats and sweaters.

All that he could see was metal shields, breastplates, and helmets. In addition, the place also carried leather armor for beginners. He decided to ask the owner of the shop if there was any cold-weather armor sold here. The woman at the desk was a black mage; at least, he took it that the mage was a woman from her curves and the floral design on her gold-on-blue robe.

"My friends and I are about to depart for Baron," he explained. "You wouldn't happen to sell coats here?"

"No, sir, I'm sorry. We're strictly armor," she informed politely.

"Oh. Can you tell me where I could buy some? I've got small children accompanying me."

The mage's shaded gold eyes grew. "Oh! You're the dark knight-turned-paladin that Palom and Porom Faraxhae went with, aren't you!" She sounded excited.

"Yes, I am." Cecil extended his hand to the mage, who excepted it warmly. "I'm Cecil Harvey."

"My name is Luna," the mage introduced. "I've been pulling for you since you showed up. My father, the owner, he said that you were no good, but I knew that you would make it back from the mountain! I was so glad when I heard of your return this morning."

"Thank you, Luna."

Luna snapped her fingers. "I have something for you," she said and dashed from the counter, disappearing behind a nearby door. She returned carrying a large wooden crate with straw sticking out of the gaps. She set it down on the counter, gasping when the weight was released.

"Father keeps all this stuff in the closet, awaiting the day when a paladin comes forth to claim it," Luna explained, prying the top off the crate with a nearby pencil. Cecil stepped up to help her pull it off. Together they cleared away a top layer of straw, tossing it on the counter and floor to be cleaned up later. Sheila and the twins wandered over to see what was going on.

Cecil finally pulled a gleaming breastplate from the crate and cleared off the straw dust. The thing wasn't made of material as unnatural as the one he'd received on the mountain, but it definitely looked sturdier and well made.

"What is that?" Sheila asked, admiring the breastplate.

"Father says that it's called Luminous armor. There's this breastplate, a shield, a helmet, and some silver gauntlets," Luna explained. "But it's reserved for paladins."

"It's beautiful," Cecil praised. "How much is it?"

"You would pay for it?" Luna sounded just a little shy about taking money from him.

"Certainly; surely it will take a lot of money to order a new set for the next paladin who comes along," Cecil pointed out.

"Oh, true. Shall we say, 2000 gil for the whole set?"

"I can certainly do that," Cecil agreed, setting the breastplate to the side and reaching for his purse. He pulled out the money and handed it to the overwhelmed black mage.

"Is... Is there anything else?" she asked.

Cecil glanced down at the twins, who were still awed by the amazing new armor but holding the piece of armor they wanted in their hands.

"We also need a suit of Gaia gear and a plumed hat, for my little friends," Cecil added, reaching for more gil.

Luna accepted the money happily. "The twins are going with you again, eh? They must have been great help on the mountain."

"I couldn't have done it without them," Cecil agreed. "I just can't seem to say it enough."

"There is also a clothing shop down the street where you can buy some coats and other things like that," Luna informed.

"Thank you, Luna. You've been a great help," Cecil said, eyeing the crate and trying to figure out how he would get it back to the tower. He couldn't juggle the crate with his pack and Sheila's basket, and he doubted any of his companions could carry it back to the tower.

"Can I ask you one more favor, Luna?"

"Anything, sir."

"Do you think you can have this crate delivered back to the tower before tomorrow?"

"Of course! I do deliveries all the time."

"Many thanks, once again."

"Any time you're in Mysidia, feel free to come by," Luna insisted. "Don't be a stranger."

The four walked back out of the shop and down towards the clothing shop Luna had mentioned, shivering as a breeze whipped down the street.

"It wasn't this cold when we were on the mountain," Palom complained, trying to pull his Gaia gear over his head while he walked.

"The magical energy creates a climate-control barrier around the whole mountain, so it usually sustains a fairly constant temperature," Sheila explained. "In general, it's about 78 degrees on Mount Ordeals at all times."

"Cool," Porom said, stopping to admire her new hat in a window. "I look so pretty with a hat; why don't I have more?" she wondered.

"You're mother would laugh out loud to see you acting so vain," Sheila giggled. "Have you been back to see her yet? Does she know that you're leaving again?"

"We were going to tell her this morning, but she saw uncle Tellah and lost it," Palom explained, adjusting his Gaia gear. "Cecil, is Gaia gear supposed to be this tight? I don't think it fits right."

"Gaia gear grows or shrinks to fit the wearer; if you wear it for the rest of the day, it should fit just right by tomorrow morning," Cecil explained.

"Oh, and we need to talk about food supplies," Palom remembered. "You need to get more of those awesome sweet rolls than you did last time, 'cause Porom ate most of them before the rest of us got any."

Porom blushed. "I told you already, I did not!"

"You did, Porom," Cecil informed.

Porom pouted and her hat slipped down over her face.

"So, after we buy you two some thick, sturdy coats, we head back to the tower, drop off what I have so far, and head back out to get some food?" Cecil suggested.

"That sounds great!" Palom agreed. "Can Sheila come with us again too?"

"Um, what do you think, Sheila? Do you want to come too?" Cecil asked the blushing mage.

"Well, I guess I can come," she agreed sweetly. "I'd love to."

22222222222

Mira had listened patiently to Tellah's story for almost an hour. She had guessed easily that Tellah and Sammy had married and had children, but she hadn't guessed they would only have one. A part of her ached terribly to learn that Sammy had died suddenly a few years ago, even though they hadn't spoken to each other since Jackie had uncovered the scandal. She was slightly amused to learn that their daughter, Anna, had run off with a bard, and dismayed to learn that Anna had been killed. The fact that the bard had turned out to be a prince in disguise was a bit of a surprise, and learning that he had already known Cecil and a young summoner by the name of Rydia was such a coincidence that it almost tickled her. Finally, Tellah's quest for the Meteor spell wrapped the story up and she sat back in her chair, trying to take in her brother's amazing story.

"That is... quite a story," she said finally, not sure what else to say. "What did Rai have to say about your quest for revenge?"

"What else would he have to say?" Tellah inquired. "He was shocked and dismayed, and then he tried to talk me out of it. Cecil and I are departing from Baron on the morrow; are Palom and Porom coming with us?"

"Oh, uh..." Mira rubbed the back of her neck as if it ached.

"It would mean a lot to us both if they accompanied us. I'm just an old man; I can't deal _all_ the magic."

"I don't want them to go. I was scared to death when they vanished."

"I understand that Rai never said a word to you about it. I didn't know he was capable of being so sneaky."

"What did they have to say about the trip? The mentioned something about it last night when I dropped them off, but I didn't really take it seriously. I mean, they just got back last night, and now they want to run off again? Part of me just can't believe it."

Tellah raised an eyebrow at his sister. "Only _part_ of you?"

"...They do seem to have grown attached to Cecil, and I assume that they've grown stronger."

"They can perform the twincast. They figured it out all on their own," Tellah informed.

"What level magic do they know?"

"Porom just learned Cura yesterday afternoon. His Thundara and Blizzara still have a way to go, but Palom has mastered the Fira. The –Ga spells are well within their grasp."

Mira sat back again and sighed. They had done such a good job. They seemed so enthusiastic. But still, they were only children. They needed to be at home, where they would be safe. Cecil and Tellah were walking headlong into the fog of war; they couldn't expect her to just let her children—her _only_ children—follow them into that. War is no place for little ones.

They have to go.

No, they don't.

Yes, they do; they _should_ go.

No, they don't...!

Something at the back of Mira's brain kept her second guessing herself. Palom and Porom could get hurt—or worse—if they went to Baron. But something kept poking her in the side, saying that, no matter how much she didn't like it, they simply _had_ to go or something terrible would happen.

She wondered if this was what made Rai go behind her back so blatantly. It's highly unlike any Mysidian to just listen to an impulse or sudden premonition, but something was definitely up.

"I suppose they can go with you, if they were such a help to you last time," Mira consented. Tellah beamed, pleased with her answer.

"That doesn't mean that I have to like it, though," she added petulantly.

"If it eases you any, I could write to you every now and again of our travels," Tellah offered.

Mira scoffed. "You never _write_."

"I will now; you're children are involved. You ought to know what is going on. You may not be able to write back, though. We'll be moving about quickly, and you probably won't catch us in time."

"Where exactly do you plan to go after you're done in Baron?" Mira asked.

"We go to Baron seeking a man by the name of Cid Pollendina; he's an airship engineer and a friend of Cecil's. He'll give us an airship so that we can find where this villain Golbez has taken one Lady Rosa and rescue her," Tellah explained.

"Rosa? A friend of Cecil's?" Mira guessed.

"He is in love with the girl, and Golbez has taken her hostage. Cecil is absolutely determined to save her life; I truly believe that he would follow Golbez to the moon and back to retrieve her."

"And to say nothing of Anna's murder," Mira added.

"Indeed not." Tellah gazed off wistfully into space. "I haven't met Rosa; when last I heard, she was sick with desert fever—that's how I met Cecil and Rydia, on their way to get the cure. I certainly do hope to meet Miss Rosa sometime in the near future. I hope that she's okay."

Mira hoped to meet Rosa one day as well. She lifted the tea pot and topped off her lukewarm mug. She glanced at the clock: it read 12:30.

"More tea, big brother?"

"Oh. Yes please, little sister."

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Rai seemed amused when he saw Porom in her new hat.

"That hat suits you," he complemented.

"Thank you, sir," she said with a girlish grin.

"We do need to go back out for a bit," Cecil informed the elder, setting the newly purchased items down with his other things. "We'll be back for dinner, but we'll grab lunch at the market."

"Very well. Take your time," Rai insisted. "By the way, I got a delivery a little while ago. It was a large, heavy crate."

"I, er, came across some new armor," Cecil explained, selecting two small, sturdy new coats from the pile of new items. One was dark rusty red and the other was pine green, both trimmed and lined in soft, warm fleece.

"Those look very nice; are they for the twins?" Rai asked.

"They are; it's going to be cold, whether Mira lets them come or not."

"True," Rai agreed. "It's foolish to just assume that they're coming along. Mira isn't going to say yes, and that will break their hearts," he added since the twins weren't listening.

"I've got to get them to come with me," Cecil insisted.

"I know; I feel it too. I'd like to help, but I don't know if I could manage to smuggle them out unnoticed again. Mira will be watching them like a mother hawk."

"I'll figure something out," Cecil insisted, though he sounded like he was already lost in thought.

"Just be done as soon as you can; you'll need all your strength to cross Devil's Road successfully. The road warps you across the ocean quickly, but it takes a bit of a physical toll on the body since things began happening. One poor guy tried to warp to Baron to check things out a few weeks ago, and returned a few hours completely loopy. Another guy has wound up displaced; we used Sight to try and locate him, and found that he had been warped to Eblan instead of Baron."

"_Eblan_? But that's the complete opposite direction," Cecil pointed out, startled and now a bit nervous.

"We haven't been able to find a way to warp him back either. It's been driving our workers mad."

Cecil sighed and glanced at the twins, modeling their new gear for Dharma.

"So, are you saying that Devil's Road might not take us to Baron, there's no way to know if it's going to malfunction, and there's no way to get us back if it, say, decided to take us to Eblan and quit working in the middle of the sea?"

Rai inhaled slowly. "If you can concentrate hard enough, you should be able to bend the warping spells to your will. Most white spells respond more readily to a paladin's holy magic. I'm pretty sure you should be able to transport yourself and Tellah safely to Baron."

"And the twins," Cecil added stubbornly.

"Whatever you say."

"I note that all of those sentences were _not_ definite. I _should_ be able to, _most_ spells, you're _pretty_ sure I can do it—I'm sorry, sir, I mean no disrespect, but you're not really helping."

"You ought to know. Just prepare yourself for tomorrow, okay? Everything should go off without a hitch," Rai comforted.

Cecil sighed, still nervous, and checked the weight of his belt purse. There was still plenty of gil left. He and his companions would be able to spend a lot of money on food before dinner time. He turned to his companions.

"Kids, are you ready to go?"

The twins stopped what they were doing and dashed over like excited puppies.

"We're ready!" they chorused.

"Where's Sheila? I thought she was coming with us?"

"I'm not sure," Porom admitted. A door slammed shut on the veranda, and Sheila appeared at the steps. She raced down to join them.

"Are we ready to go?" She asked. The twins stared up at her with bewildered looks on their faces.

"You look different," Palom stated, trying to figure out what was new. "...Were your lips always so red?"

"And your eyelids are all sparkly and blue," Porom added.

Sheila tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Well, I, uh..."

"You look very pretty, Sheila," Cecil offered, trying to ease her unrest. It seemed like she couldn't stop being sheepish today. Despite his attempt, she blushed harder. If she had bothered with rouge, she would have looked like she was burning with a fever.

_There's something not quite right going on here,_ he thought to himself, making a mental note to watch Sheila extra close for the rest of the day.

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OMG! 10 whole pages! That's the longest chapter this story's seen so far! (The average length is eight.)

There was going to be more, but I think it was dragging out a bit. So, we'll just leave off here for a few days and I'll try to plunk out the next chapter very soon. In the meantime, let's have a preview.

_In the next chapter…_

_The trip across Devil's road turns into a fight for Palom's life!_

"Palom!" Cecil yelled and caught hold of the boy's fading hand. He pulled him back from the darkness and clung to him, trying to keep him from slipping away. "You have to concentrate; bend the spell to your will!" He explained. "I know it's hard, but you must! Don't let yourself slip away!"

"It's so hard!" Palom protested into Cecil's shoulder.

"But you have to do it! If you let go, you could die!"

_An uneasy return to Baron leads to a surprise encounter and a desperate fight._

Cecil stared back in disbelief. "Yang! You survived!"

Yang's brow furrowed seriously. He cast a finger in Cecil's direction.

"Seize him!" he commanded the loitering guards. "Seize the traitor; take the others for questioning!"

_And now, for the question you've _all _been waiting for, what is up with Sheila??_

It seemed an eternity before she released him. She stared hard into his bright blue eyes, as if searching for something.

"Good luck in Baron. I hope you find what you are looking for," Sheila said finally. She stepped back slowly, reluctantly, and retreated to her room on top of the veranda.

Cecil stood paralyzed in the doorway, still not quite sure how it had happened. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and it came away smeared with Sheila's red lipstick. His paled skin finally flushed, and he prayed that no one would ever mention this kiss again.

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break!_


	12. Back to Baron

Chapter 11: Back to Baron

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As Tellah and Mira strolled along the street they looked around for Cecil and the twins, hoping to see them. Though she couldn't understand why, Mira was excited to tell her children that they were free to go along on the adventure.

"You know," Tellah mentioned, "if I'm going to be writing to you, I ought to buy some nice stationary and some ink. Perhaps I'll find some I like while we walk."

"It will be comforting to hear from you, now that I know what you're walking into. I'd like to know what you're up to for a change," Mira added.

"I truly am sorry to have worried you. Sammy and I should have come for a visit; you and Rai could have met Anna, and maybe even Edward. I couldn't stand the guy, but he certainly seemed nice. I wish that I could have gotten over myself enough to know him better."

"That's a shame, brother. You say that he was lost in the same shipwreck that Cecil was in?"

"Yes." Tellah was silent for a moment. "You know, I was thinking of teaching Palom the spell Break; and perhaps I will teach Porom the same spell while I'm at it. The Break spell can be a bit difficult to cast and even harder to make it work, but if they used it as a Twin-Cast, perhaps they can make it work efficiently enough."

"The Break spell? That's the one that turns an opponent into stone and heals a person who's been petrified, isn't it?" Mira asked. Tellah nodded his head.

"It's not worth much on the battle field, unless you want a new statue for your garden, but those who master it earn quite a bit of respect since it's so hard to bend."

"That makes sense," Mira agreed. "I think that's a great idea. I look forward to hearing their progress in your letters."

"I can't wait to begin," Tellah added.

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Sheila's sparkly makeup earned more than one flirtatious glance from passersby. One bold red mage who passed her had the audacity to whistle at her, and then got a sound kick in the shin from the young woman beside him. Sheila blushed and looked away from him, hoping that the woman was his sister, not his girlfriend.

"You sure are popular," Palom noted as the red mage and his companion got farther and farther away. "Does this always happen when you put on makeup?"

"Is that why you almost never wear it?" Porom added. Sheila blushed harder and kept her eyes fixed on her feet.

"Stop pestering her, kids. Can't you see that it's making her uncomfortable?" Cecil pointed out.

Sheila smiled shyly at him and brushed a few stray hairs behind her ear.

_He truly does know how to handle small children. I hope he isn't engaged to anyone._

She considered dropping her little coin-purse on the ground and asking Cecil to get it for her. It was a bit flirtatious for her style, but she had no idea how to talk to him. She let the embroidered coin-purse slip to the ground and it hit the sidewalk with a jingling clank.

"Oops. My bad," she said, trying to sound casual. Cecil eyed her suspiciously, seeming to know exactly what was going on. Nonetheless, he stepped forward to pick up the purse. But Palom jumped to the rescue first.

"Here you go," he said cheerily as he snatched up the purse and handed it back to Sheila. "You should be more careful; someone could try to steal it. It's so pretty and full of gil," he warned needlessly. Sheila smiled back weakly, feeling utterly foiled.

"Thank you, Palom. You're a big help," she said stiffly. Palom didn't seem to pay attention to her tone; he just smiled sweetly, happy to be of help.

She glanced back at Cecil, who was still watching her, his pale eyebrow arched.

_I guess everything shows on my face,_ she thought, feeling even more defeated than before. _What's he going to say?_

Cecil cleared his throat. "Where should we stop for lunch? Do you guys know a good place?" he asked the twins, trying to focus on them again.

"There's a good place a block away," Porom informed. "They sell muffins and dumplings and stuff. Palom and I go there all the time, so they know us really well."

"It's take-out only, though. No tables or chairs," Palom added.

"Sounds good. Let's go there," Cecil decided. "Lead the way," he said to the twins with a flourish. The twins both ran ahead of Cecil and Sheila laughing and disappeared around the corner.

"He should hurry after them, or we'll lose them," Sheila noted and hurried after them. Cecil hesitated and she turned back to face him.

_I hope I haven't offended him._

"Aren't you coming?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," Cecil agreed and walked after her, staying just behind her.

They walked on in silence around the bend to find Palom and Porom waiting somewhat impatiently for them.

"Where were you?" Palom demanded.

"We're hungry!" Porom added.

"It's nothing," Cecil insisted. "Now, where's this take-out place of yours?"

"This way," Palom jerked his thumb down the street. He and Porom took off laughing toward a door halfway down the street. A faded and unreadable sign shaped like a loaf of bread hung over the door. Cecil and Sheila followed at a brisk trot. But the twins stopped suddenly mid-step and the two adults nearly tripped over them.

"What's the matter?" Sheila asked.

"It's mom and Uncle Tellah," Porom informed, pointing ahead. Indeed, Mira and Tellah stood beside the door, munching on bagels and chatting happily. Tellah noticed them first and pointed them out to Mira. She looked up and waved to them cheerily. The others all ran up to them.

"Good afternoon," Tellah greeted, his mouth still half full of bagel. "Haven't seen any of you since this morning. Having a good day?"

"Yup; a really good day," Palom agreed, nodding his head. "Check out what Cecil got us!" he added, showing off his new red coat. "Porom's got one in green, see?" In response, Porom twirled around, being careful not to let her hat fall off.

Mira and Tellah laughed, amused. "I don't seem to recall your Gaia gear, son, or Porom's lovely hat," Mira noted. "You look really good."

The twins grinned.

"Your mother said that you come here a lot," Tellah said. "She figured that we'd find you here to give you some important news."

Sheila wondered if it had anything to do with the twins going to Baron.

_I certainly hope not._

"What's the news?" Cecil asked.

"Don't be so nosey, paladin-boy," Tellah reprimanded. Cecil blushed slightly and withdrew from the conversation.

"We wanted to let you know," Mira explained, "that we're having dinner at the tower tonight, and that I'm giving you leave to go with Cecil and Tellah in the morning."

The twin's eyes got so big that they nearly exploded.

"Are you serious? We can really go?" Porom asked, jumping up and down like a jumping bean.

"I'm perfectly serious," Mira assured her, smiling back.

The twins began squealing with glee, and Sheila noticed Cecil's surreptitious sigh of relief.

_Now he doesn't have to sneak round anyone; he doesn't have to make a plea to anyone for anything. He's almost quaking with joy because he won't have to leave without them._

"You lot are hungry, yes?" Tellah supposed. "Stopping for a lunch break?"

"And then it's on to grocery shopping," Cecil finished. "They way Porom eats, we need to get started as fast as we can."

"Haha! That is most true," the sage agreed. "Need help?"

"If you'd like to, you're certainly welcome."

Mira and Tellah exchanged glances and smiled understandingly.

"The pleasure would be ours," Tellah agreed.

Sheila shrank back invisibly. _I can't tell him anything with all these guys around! Will I ever get a chance to tell him how much I care for him?_

_But then, maybe it's just as well. Maybe he won't come back from Baron..._

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Cecil sat back in his chair, feeling almost undeservedly content and accomplished. All the supplies had been purchased and packed, and there was enough food to feed them for a week and a half or so. (But with the way that Porom mowed her food down and asked for second helpings, he'd be happy if it lasted a few days.)

What was more, the twins were outfitted for comfortable winter travel and had upgraded their magical staffs. They would be zipping around the airways on Cid's new ship, and the October winds were sure to be like icicles pelting the face and body.

Rai had been surprised and highly pleased that Mira was giving her consent for the twins to go along. He had also been pleased to have her and the twins at the tower for dinner that night. Cecil would have felt the same way if his twin brother had been missing for so long, and he wondered vaguely if he actually had a long-lost twin himself.

_He hasn't had this much of his family in one room, sharing a meal, in so long. It must be the best feeling in the world,_ he thought.

He watched with detached interested as Palom reached across the long table in another, larger room for a bowl of peas and Porom smacked him sharply for being so rude. When they turned their faces the right way, they really were the spitting images of their mother and uncles. When they turned their faces another way, they looked totally different. The way the shadows fell on their childish, undeveloped noses and cheekbones, they looked totally unlike the rest of their family.

_Traces of Jackie, their father, I'll bet._

Cecil sighed and rose from his chair, feeling duly tired.

"Turning in?" Dharma asked.

Cecil stifled a yawn. "I'm exhausted."

"And rightly so. You've been everywhere. The twins will sleep well this night, I'll wager."

"I certainly hope so; the trip across the Devil's Road will be an adventure. I still need to talk with Tellah bout it before I go to sleep."

"Tellah will be an amazing help with the crossing," Dharma agreed. "But do give it to him in a nutshell; you need your rest. Try not to feel guilty for enjoying yourself; I'm certain your friends wouldn't want you to suffer in their account."

Cecil smiled tiredly, wondering if Dharma had used some ancient trick to read his mind. But he welcomed a tangible reinforcement for what his battered body insisted: he needed a small break, even as small as diner with his new mage friends. Even so, he wished sorely that Rosa and Rydia, Edward and Yang, and even Kain could all be here too.

_Wait for me, guys. All I have to do is make it to Baron and find Cid. Once I do that and get an airship, I'll find all of you... Even if some of you really _are_ dead. I swear it._

"We should go," Mira was saying when he came out of his thought. "It's getting late." Indeed, the twins actually looked like they would drop on the floor and sleep like rocks for at least a full day. The three slipped out the door with quick and hushed goodbyes.

"Tellah, we need to talk," Cecil said once they were gone. "About Devil's Road."

"Ah." Tellah sounded like he had been expecting the topic to come up. "Rai mentioned this earlier. Shall we retire to the library?"

"Okay; sounds good," Cecil agreed wearily.

Tellah nodded and rose from the table and headed for the door, taking his plate with him. "Library, two minutes," he instructed briskly.

Cecil followed him back to the kitchen, intent on a glass of water; maybe even something a bit stronger, to keep him awake. Tellah stopped him at the kitchen doorway.

"I'll be up in a few minutes with some rum. This could take a while..." the sage informed, walking around the kitchen, opening all the cabinets, and mumbling "Where's the rum?" repeatedly.

Cecil took the hint and turned to go to the library, located on the veranda. He nearly ran into Sheila, who had materialized behind him.

"I'm sorry, Sheila; I didn't hear you behind me," he apologized. He rubbed his eyes, wishing he could just lie down and go to sleep.

"I, uh, I just wanted to say..." she stammered. Cecil felt his senses jump to life, remembering that Sheila was up to something.

"Is there something I can do for you?" he asked.

Sheila looked at him longingly, almost begging for something. She stared at her feet and sighed. Then she inhaled a long, deep breath and turned to him once more. Without warning, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Cecil nearly fell backwards, and caught hold of the doorframe to keep his balance.

She drew back just enough to tilt her head back and press her lip against his own, stifling his cry of shock.

_What am I doing! Why don't I fight back?!_ He tried to move, but he was frozen in place as if a paralysis spell had been cast on him.

"Sheila!" he heard Tellah say sharply behind him, but the white mage didn't respond.

Cecil tried to channel his thoughts into Sheila. _I can't be with you. I have a mission to complete. Don't do this to yourself._

_I don't love you. I love Rosa!_

It seemed an eternity before she released him. She stared hard into his bright blue eyes, as if searching for something.

"Good luck in Baron. I hope you find what you are looking for," Sheila said finally. She stepped back slowly, reluctantly, and retreated to her room on top of the veranda.

Cecil stood paralyzed in the doorway, still not quite sure how it had happened. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and it came away smeared with Sheila's red lipstick. His paled skin finally flushed, and he prayed that no one would ever mention this kiss again.

Just to be safe, since Dharma and Rai had also seen what had happened, he cleared his throat. "Can we please _never_ talk about this again?" he requested.

The tree mages nodded eagerly, as frazzled by what had just happened as Cecil was.

The paladin looked behind him at Tellah, who now had an elaborate decanter of dark rum and three glasses in hand. He pointed at the decanter.

"Rum. Now."

"Maybe you should just go to bed," Tellah advised, setting a glass on the counter and pouring Cecil a glass. "Rai can fill me in on the details, and I'll tell you what you missed. You're a mess."

"That would be great," Cecil agreed, taking the glass and taking a gulp of the firry liquid. The burn woke his blurry mind and eased a small amount of the weight form his eyelids. But still, all he wanted was a bed and a long night.

"I'm going to bed," the knight announced, finishing off his rum and walking back to his room. He was profusely thankful that Sheila's room was on the veranda and his was a little guest room on the bottom floor.

"Goodnight, everyone," he said wearily and disappeared into his room.

"Goodnight," Rai, Tellah and Dharma chorused.

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"It's really quite simple," Tellah insisted. "Just keep contact with me, and you'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Porom asked for the third time. "I've heard some pretty scary stuff lately about Devil's Road."

"It just takes a lot of skill and a great deal of concentration. We'll be fine, so long as you and your brother cooperate with us. All you guys have to do is hold our hands and not say anything for a while."

"...You're _sure _that you can do it?"

"You think I'm too old?"

"Oh, no! Not that at all! It's just..."

"It's okay to be nervous. But we'll be okay. Don't worry."

Porom wished that she could calm down, but she was still nervous. Palom seemed confident enough, but she was scared.

"Are you ready to go?" Cecil called from the courtyard outside, where he and Palom were waiting.

"We don't have all day, guys! Rosa's in trouble _now_!" Palom added, as if he genuinely cared.

"We're coming," Tellah yelled back. He turned back to nervous Porom, decked out in her new dark green coat and leather cap, and a pair of flame gloves that Mira had found for her. She was looking doubtfully at her boots as if they offered her some kind of solution.

"It's time to go, Porom," Tellah pressed, stooping a little to take her little hand and lead her outside. The sun was shining merrily, and a chilly breeze was blowing.

"Hey, Porom, did you hear what Uncle Rai said about Cecil's awesome sword?" Palom asked, attempting to take his sister's mind off the perilous trip ahead.

Porom looked up, interested. "I didn't know he'd said anything about it."

"It's got a legend carved on it. But we're not sure what it means just yet," Palom explained.

"He said that it's an old prayer said by Mysidian scholars," Cecil added.

"I know _what_ it means," Palom retorted, "I meant that we don't know what it means by being there," he corrected matter-of-factly.

"I'll tell you more about it when we get to Baron; right now I have to focus."

The way to Devil's Road was underground, secured in a large vault-like one-story building near the city's north-western corner. The sight of the building sent a few chills up Tellah's spine; whether from intimidation or from bad memories, he decided not to decide. The sage took the job of pushing the decaying wooden door open, and though it was big it opened easily with a loud creaking of hinges.

_They ought to get a new door; this one was here even before _I_ was born,_ he thought to himself.

Before them was a square wall, perfectly 20 feet on each side and reaching up to the low ceiling. The only disruption to it was a five foot gap in the side they were facing, and the space was filled with a flowing iridescent white field. To the right of the gap was a switch, turned to its "on" setting.

"We have switches like that in Baron," Cecil noted.

"Only instead of secret doors, we have magical barriers," Tellah added. He stepped forward and pulled the switch down to the "off" setting. The swirling field slowly faded away, revealing the space beyond; the pen-like enclosure's only decoration was an open trap door with some stone stairs leading down into the darkness below.

Tellah turned to face his three companions.

"Now remember: as soon as you've stepped onto the sixth step, the teleportation spell will begin to work. You'll begin to feel a little dizzy, kids, but don't worry; just keep contact with either Cecil or myself and there won't be anything to worry about. Is everything clear so far?"

The twins nodded uneasily and Tellah continued.

"After the tenth step, the spell will completely activate and we'll all be swept off by the spell. At this point, it is imperative that you don't let go of our hands _at any cost._ If you do, you could be lost forever. The spell could try to tug you away, and if it does, just hold on tighter."

The twins both gulped nervously and nodded.

_They're realizing once again just how much danger they've volunteered for. Still, I'm sure that they can withstand the crossing. _

"Let us go then." He led the way into the open space and hesitated before the stairs. Porom stepped forward and took hold of his hand; her palm was clammy and her fingers cold.

"All we have to do is hold on, right?" she asked.

"Yes; that's all you have to do."

Porom took a deep breath and followed Tellah down into the shadowy staircase. Cecil and Palom came silently after them. Tellah concentrated on the steps.

_Three, four, five..._

"This is number six," he announced, feeling the spell humming around him. He felt Porom's grip loosen and he squeezed her hand. "Don't let go, lass." Porom nodded dutifully and strengthened her grip.

_Eight, nine, ten...!_

Tellah felt like he was standing on a merry-go-round rotating at super-speed. A thousand invisible hands grabbed at him, pulling him in all directions; strong wind hit him full in the face, but never from the same direction for more than a few seconds, as if he was speeding along in every direction at once. He gripped Porom's hand so hard he realized that he might break the tiny bones. Even if he had broken her hand, she didn't make much noise past several gasps of surprise and confusion.

He glanced to his side, relived that Cecil and Palom were still there and caught in the same gale-like turbulence.

_It didn't used to be like this,_ Tellah recalled desperately, trying to establish dominance over the warp spell. _It used to be just a few minutes of dizzying darkness, and then you arrived safely, if not a little nauseous, in Baron. What the hell could be causing the spell to act this way?!_

Tellah thrust these complaints out of the way and concentrated on wrapping his mind around the spell, attempting to bend the unruly spell to his will. As he gained more control over it, the groping hands released him, and the harsh wind began to slow as he established which way he needed the spell to take him. He looked to see how Cecil was doing, and was pleased to see that he had also been successful in controlling the spell.

_I told them all not to worry._

Porom shrieked in what sounded like horror.

"Porom, what's wrong?" Tellah asked, trying to keep his control.

"Palom slipped! He's fading away! Do something!"

Tellah's eyes darted around, looking for his nephew. He finally spotted the boy's almost transparent figure, fading into the darkness, and he was trying to run back to them. Try as he might, he didn't seem to be making much ground.

Palom!" Cecil yelled and caught hold of the boy's fading hand. He pulled him back from the darkness and clung to him, trying to keep him from slipping away. "You have to concentrate; bend the spell to your will!" He explained. "I know it's hard, but you must! Don't let yourself slip away!"

"It's so hard!" Palom protested into Cecil's shoulder.

"But you have to do it! If you let go, you could die!"

The spinning stopped abruptly, with out any kind of warning, and flung all four of them into something jagged and hard. Still frightened by all that had happened, Tellah felt the surface they had landed on: it was stone, smooth and cool. He moved his hand around, feeling a layer or two of dust under his fingers and then his hand bumped something. He ran his fingers up the blockage, which ended after two inches and was flat on top.

Tellah sighed with relief. They were on another staircase.

"Are we all here?" he called to his groaning, coughing companions. They all mumbled assurances that yes, they were all there. They seemed to be: he could feel Porom's shaking body beside him, and he could hear Palom whimpering softly somewhere above him, accompanied by Cecil's hard breathing.

"Is Palom alright?" he asked.

"I think so," Cecil answered. "I can't tell, though; it's way too dark. I can barely see him or anyone else."

Feeling pretty beaten up and very drained, Tellah struggled to sit up; he attempted to stand, but he was still too dizzy and fell back beside Porom.

"Porom, do you think you can get up?" he asked.

Porom sniffled. "I, I don't think so," she squeaked.

"How about you, Cecil? Can you get up?"

"Probably not."

"We have to get out of this stairwell," Tellah insisted, mostly to himself. "If we can't stand, we'll have to crawl; all we need to do is find the door out of here, and it's likely at the top of the stairs." He reached out beside him and found Porom's hand again.

"Do you think you can at least keep up with me if we crawled to the top?" he asked.

"I think so."

So the four of them carefully made their way up the staircase. As the went, Tellah made sure to keep count of the steps.

_Five, six, seven..._

The dizziness suddenly lessened and he began to feel lighter. There was also a light before them. They were coming out of the spell.

"Tellah, I think I can get up now," Cecil announced. The small light ahead gave just enough light for them to see Cecil pick himself off the ground and stand steady for a moment. His legs buckled when he tried to take a step, and he caught himself on the wall.

"Are you okay?" Palom asked in an uncharacteristically tiny voice.

"I'm fine," Cecil answered. "Just unsteady. I'll be fine." He pushed himself off the wall and succeeded in taking a step, and then another. He reached the top step, and felt for a doorknob.

"Is there no doorknob?" Porom asked nervously.

"No, there isn't," Cecil answered, sounding relieved. He ran his hand against the wall and something clicked. The tiny light suddenly grew so big and bright that it blinded them all.

"Secret passages in Baron all have switches," Cecil reminded.

"So, we have made it Baron after all," Tellah concluded, pushing himself off the stairs and helping the twins to their feet. They all walked out of the dark and into the bright light of early afternoon, spilling into an enclosed space much like the one in Mysidia.

"I remember coming here as a kid when Kain and Rosa and I played hide and seek," Cecil said vaguely, moving toward a shimmering magical barrier like the one from before. "This place always gave me the willies, even when I was 12," he added, flipping yet another switch and watching the barrier disappear.

They walked out the front door and into full sunlight. The light gave little warmth in comparison to the bitter wind that whipped across the deserted street.

"Are the two of you alright?" Tellah asked the twins. "Is anything broken? O you need a heal spell?"

"I think I'm alright," Porom insisted, gazing around. Palom stared blankly at the grass.

"...I'm okay, I guess," he added. "I'm sorry I didn't hold on like you guys said. I tried, but the spell pulled me so hard... Am I in trouble?"

"I think we're all too relieved that you're okay to snap at you," Tellah informed.

Comforted by this prospect, Palom looked around. "It wasn't this late when we left," he said, noting the position of the sun.

"And where is everybody?" Porom asked, clinging protectively to her brother. "It looks like a ghost-town."

"Baron and Mysidia have different time zones," Cecil explained. "It's about three hours later here than where we came from. And about the people... I don't know why there's no one around." He sounded worried about this last point.

"Perhaps we should try speaking to the people at the inn," Tellah suggested. "They always know what's going on."

"That's a good idea," Cecil agreed. He led the way down the street to the nearest inn he could think of.

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Palom's first impression of the inn's interior was that everyone inside was nervous about something. The mood of the place screamed, "I'm scared!".

He tugged at Cecil's sleeve and whispered, "I don't like this place. Let's try another inn."

"Wait a minute," the paladin said quietly, making it a point not to draw attention. "There's something I need to see." He walked towards a group of soldiers, laughing uproariously and clanking glasses of ale.

"What is he doing?" Porom hissed to Palom.

Cecil had set his sights on one particular member of the group. The man seemed out of place; even though he was dressed in the same uniform coat and scarf as the others, he seemed built on a different frame. He wasn't _shorter_ than the others, and he wasn't really wider than them either, but rather more stocky than them. He looked more muscular as well. What really set him apart was his hair style: he was bald, say for a patch of long brown hair on the back of his head, which he wore in a braid decorated with colorful thread and tiny charms.

"Look at his braid," Porom pointed out. "It looks like yours, Palom."

"It does not; I have way more hair than that guy." Palom wound his braid, twice the length of the rest of his hair, proudly around his index finger.

Cecil tapped the strange man on the shoulder. The man turned to face him and a look of surprise came over his face. It was a fine, slightly aged face. His skin was light, and his eyes were dark. He had a moustache on his lip and dark stubble on his chin.

"Cecil? Could it be?" the man asked, calling the attention of the others.

Cecil stared back in disbelief. "Yang! You survived!"

Yang's brow furrowed seriously. He cast a finger in Cecil's direction.

"Seize him!" he commanded the loitering guards. "Seize the traitor; take the others for questioning!"

The men all snapped to attention "Sir, Yessir!" the chorused and drew their blades. The few customers all yelped in fear and ducked beneath tables, chair, and anything else they could possibly hide under.

Cecil stepped back, a look of fear and dismay on his face. "Yang, what are you doing? It's me, Cecil! Don't you remember me?"

"You're a wanted man in these parts," Yang informed bluntly.

In the meantime, one soldier disengaged himself from the mob coming after Cecil and went after the mages at the door. He whipped out a long sword with a _shink! _and advanced on them. The twins yelped in surprise and began chanting their highest level spells.

"Ha! You little kiddies don't scare me with you puny starter spells," the guard sneered.

"FIRA!"

"CURA!"

The ball of glowing energy grew big between them and the startled guard. It struck him in the chest and he collapsed on the floor, his breath coming in struggled gasps.

The other men all looked on in disbelief, slightly intimidated. But they regained their focus and aimed their swords at Cecil.

"This isn't good; this isn't good at all," Cecil muttered, and plunged into the advancing guards.

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_My Dearest Mira,_

_Our trip across the Devil's Road was a success; we all made it to Baron in one piece, tired and a bit bruised, but all alive and well. Let Rai know as soon as you can._

_The real action began when we arrived. We found the streets deserted, and decided to find an inn and get some solid information. (After all, Cecil hasn't heard anything of the city's condition since he departed several months ago.) We went to the nearest inn, and we ran into the most unlikely person imaginable: Yang Fang Leiden, Cecil's Fabulian friend whom he thought had perished in the shipwreck!_

_However, the meeting wasn't a joyful one. Yang commanded a group of guards to attack us. The four of us promptly laid waste to them. And, after a few deft blows to Yang's head (Compliments of yours truly.) he seemed to regain several memories that he had apparently lost in the shipwreck._

_It seems that Yang washed up on Baronian shores a few days ago, and was given a place in the Baronian guard because he knew so much about our dear paladin. He had been hypnotized and was being used to terrorize the locals._

_Once all confusion was cleared, much came from this chance encounter. For starters, Yang has told us that Cid Pollendina, the airship engineer, is being held prisoner, and that he will show us a secret way into the castle so that we may rescue him. It seems a suspiciously straight shot to our goal, and this disturbs me to no end. I'm certain that there is another shoe, waiting to drop. I've cautioned all of our party to be wary._

_On a sad note, Yang recalls a few moments in the water, with sweet little Rydia, and says that there was a giant serpent. Then he suddenly lost consciousness and doesn't remember anything further. It most certainly was Leviathan, the great lord of the sea. I fear that there is no hope that Rydia survived. Cecil, on the other hand, still seems to hold out a feeble hope for her._

_As for Edward, Yang has no last minute news. Sad as I am to admit it, there is probably no hope for him either. Say a prayer for both of them, and ask that Rai, Dharma and Sheila pray as well. They deserve remembrance from us all._

_This grieving aside, we must move ahead with our plans. Tomorrow morning, Yang is going to escort us through a maze-like entrance below the castle; it is a giant underground spring that fuels the moat surrounding the castle. He warned us that the trip may take a few days, for the waterway runs several miles below the castle before sloping back upward toward the moat's entrance. In addition, he says that it will be dark and filled with monsters._

_Continue to think of us, Mira. I will write to you again as soon as I can. Perhaps, I may even be able to manage a letter or two in the bowls of the waterway. I'll conclude by saying that the twins are in fine condition, and I have already begun teaching them the Break spell. They've been practicing all afternoon, and I dare say that they are close to memorizing the spell completely._

_Your brother, _

_Tellah._

Tellah sat back against the backboard of his bed in the inn and re-read his letter. He seemed to have covered everything that had happened, and he felt very accomplished. He wondered how big a crime it was that he hadn't told Mira about Palom's accident with the warp spell. He decided that it would be fine; the less she worried, the better. Besides, he'd worked pretty hard and thought it would be a shame to re-write the whole thing.

He folded the letter in half and scribbled his name and the paper's destination on the front. After sealing the fold closed with a metallic gold tab that had come with the stationary set, he started mumbling a spell over the letter

"TELEPORT!"

He released the letter and it began spinning in the air, propelling it up in the air all on its own. With a small flash of light, it vanished.

On the other side of the room, his four companions watched with interest.

"I wasn't aware that you could do that with a Teleport spell," Yang stated. "I always thought that its only real use was in caves and dungeons."

"It is very useful in cave and the like, there's no doubt about that," Tellah agreed. "Teleport can work in one of two ways: either to transport big things a short distance, or to transport small things a very great distance. It all depends on the size of what you are trying to move," he explained. "The letter, for instance, has probably materialized on my sister's desk, all the way in Mysidia. All I had to do was make sure that the destination was on the letter, and there it went."

Yang nodded his head understandingly. "Astounding," he breathed, sounding fascinated. He turned to watch the twins, drilling each other on the words for the Break spell.

"They certainly seem advanced," the monk noted. "Are they your grandchildren, Tellah?"

"No, no, they're my little sister's children, my niece and nephew. And they are advanced; they're hailed as prodigies in Mysidia."

"Ah. They seemed a bit dysfunctional when I first met them, but now that they've calmed down, they're rather cute."

"They _are_ only six," Cecil pointed out.

"_Six_?" Yang said. "Not even Rydia was that young."

"She was only a year older."

"True, but still. Aren't you worried for them? Even you seem to like them very much, Cecil."

"Trust me, Yang. They can take care of themselves. At the very least, they've got each other; which is more than a lot of people we've traveled with could say."

"Hm... That is true: Rydia lost her mother, Tellah and Edward both lost Anna, and you lost Rosa _and_ that traitor, Kain," Yang agreed.

"A few days of sneaking around in the waterway..." Cecil said vaguely, tapping his index finger against his chin thoughtfully. "How many days are we talking, here?"

"Maybe... two, three tops," Yang said with a shrug.

Cecil made a doubtful noise. "It still seems like so long. I feel like I've already wasted so much time in Mysidia. Not that I'm not happy with what I found there, but I feel like if I take a second longer than I absolutely must, I'll have failed Rosa and everyone else. Are you sure there isn't a faster way?"

"Not unless you want to try storming the castle, and I wouldn't recommend it," Yang advised, shaking his head.

"Damn," Cecil muttered, setting one fist on his hip and massaging his forehead with his other hand.

"Don't stress yourself so, lad," Tellah cautioned nonchalantly. He rested his hands behind his head and crossed his legs, like he was reclining on a chez. "Better to do a job slowly the right way than do it quickly the wrong way. And in this case, the wrong way may result in death."

"I know," Cecil insisted. "I just feel so frustrated."

Tellah flipped his purple-tinted glassed down his nose and stared at Cecil with a penetrating gaze, as if, for once, he could see things more clearly without the lenses.

"Have faith, son. Love can do anything, so long as you believe in it. That boy, Kain, is with her, yes? And old friend of yours _and_ hers, am I correct?"

"Yeah, he is. Why?" Cecil asked, sounding irked that Tellah had brought it up.

"Would he really allow the monster to just up and destroy her without a fight?"

"Um..."

"_Would he let him kill Rosa without a fight_?" Tellah demanded.

"No, he wouldn't," Cecil admitted. "Even if he has been brainwashed, I'm sure that he'll take care of her as best he can."

"Rest for a bit," Tellah advised. "You need to get your nerves in order for tomorrow and the days ahead."

Cecil nodded and walked off to his bed across the room.

Tellah turned his attention to the twins, who were still studying. "The tow of you should be turning in yourselves."

They looked over their shoulders at him stubbornly.

"But we've gotten so far on the Break!" Palom protested. "Just give us a few more minutes, please!"

"I don't think so. Both of you get in bed now."

Palom was about to argue again, but Porom smacked his upside the head and stared him down. They seemed to silently exchange a few words, and Palom let his sister lead him to his bed, pouting all the way.

_That's my boy,_ Tellah thought, feeling like he was looking in the mirror at a younger version of himself.

"And I don't want you two staying up when the rest of us are sleeping, understand? If you do, I'll know about it," he warned.

"Yessir," the twins chorused.

"Good. Sleep well then, my dears."

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Yikes! 14 pages! And I thought that _10_ pages was long!

I've got nothing to say today, so let's get right to next chapter's trailer...

_In the next chapter..._

_The deep dark waterway is long and dangerous, but with a full party of five, they just might make it out in one piece!_

Porom suddenly felt someone pull her out of the deep water. As her head came over the surface, she inhaled deeply, coughing and trying to spit the coppery, dirty taste of the water out of her mouth. With a start, she began looking franticly for her brother, but all she could see in the dark was muscular tan skin and a bright green sash.

It was Yang, who also had Palom in his other arm.

"You two have to be more careful," Yang scolded playfully, setting the dripping twins in water that only came up to their knees. "The water can suddenly get very deep in places.

Porom wrapped her soaking green coat tighter around herself, feeling a little silly.

"We'll be more careful, won't we, Porom?" Palom said, nudging her in the ribs.

"Uh-hu," she said quietly.

_Tellah's second letter to Mira: an attempt to comfort and assure not only his sister, but himself as well!_

I must admit, Mira, I'm a little scared. We didn't spend this long even in the Kaipo waterway; it wasn't this deep or dark, and it wasn't a twisting, turning labyrinth. What's more, I'm afraid that we're all catching something; whether from the damp and chill or from some mold or bacteria, I'm not sure.

This safe-spot was a Godsend, and I wish that we could stay here for a while longer, but we'll have to haul out in a few hours...

_If that isn't enough, even the moat isn't safe!_

Even though the water was rushing past him at a deafening speed, he could still hear his friend shouting in surprise and fear. He tried to steer himself, but couldn't seem to get control over his large body.

"Where are the twins!" he heard Cecil yell over the crash of the water.

"I don't know!" he heard Tellah holler back before gasping for breath and disappearing below the surface.

A half-recovered memory flashed before Yang's eyes: he was in the cold, salty water, pulling Rydia back to the surface. There was the serpent that Tellah had confirmed was Leviathan. He heard Rydia scream in terror, and he heard the monster roar savagely in answer. He was spiraling into blackness once more, and Rydia was slipping our of his arms—

No! Not this time! He dove under the water, hoping to find the twins before they drowned.

_And, at last, the castle!_

"I'm so glad that you're okay!" the man exclaimed, running to Cecil. "We all for sure that you were dead!"

"I had wondered what had become of you, Baigan," Cecil answered, clasping the stranger's hand in greeting. Palom glanced at Porom, passing an unspoken message to her.

_Something's not right about that guy,_ he was thinking.

_I know,_ was her unspoken answer. He didn't read her mind or hear her thoughts, but rather felt her response as a sort of vibe and read it on her face.

_What should we do?_ He wondered.

_Let's watch him,_ he felt her answer. _It could be a trap!_

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this sort break!_

_Brought to you in part by..._

Flunky Flakes, Multigrain Cereal! Just add sugar and milk, and get ready to take on the world! "Flunky Flakes: number one in our stomachs, number one in our hearts!"


	13. The Waterway

Chapter 12: The Waterway

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The big wooden door opened with a blood-curdling screeching. The hinges were so rusty that Tellah and Cecil had to help Yang pull it open. The twins stood apart from them, feeling a bit useless as the three men struggled to make the door open wider. They gave up a few minutes of tugging, satisfied that they could simply squeeze through the small opening they had made.

The door descended into darkness, and Yang pulled out a torch, which he lit with a match. It flared up bright red and he went forward silently, prompting his companions to follow just as quietly.

They were walking down another set of stairs now, and Porom counted the steps to be safe. But when she counted past eight and nothing happened, she felt somewhat more at ease. She stepped down a step onto a floor, which splashed and squished underfoot.

"It feels like mud," she whispered.

"It is," Yang informed bluntly.

Porom didn't have anything against mud, but she certainly didn't like to walk around in it for a long time; especially not if there were monsters lurking around and she couldn't see very well.

"Why are we whispering?" Tellah asked. "It's not like anyone's going to hear us."

"What about the monsters? Won't they come flocking to us if they know where we are?" Cecil pointed out.

"Won't they be startled and afraid of the echoes?" Tellah countered. "There's no need to be so stealthy way down here."

"So we can stop being so quiet?" Palom asked eagerly.

"No one knows that we're here; it'll be fine to talk at a normal volume for a while. All the whispering is unnerving me."

"Great!" Palom looked up at the high ceiling and grinned. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled up at the ceiling:

"HELLO!"

His voice resonated through the cavern, shaking rocks lose in some places. The rocks splashed into the water around them, and Porom whacked him on the head.

"What is the matter with you?" she scolded. "Just because he said you didn't have to whisper doesn't mean you have to yell, you know."

Palom didn't seem fazed. "That was so cool!"

"Please, don't do that again," Cecil asked. "We need to get going, or we'll never get through this waterway."

Palom pouted and crossed his arms stubbornly. "Okay, fine."

For thirty minutes they wandered through the cave with little incident. There wasn't even a monster to be seen, and Yang's torch was far from going out. The albino creatures that thrives in the dark, dank waterway fled in pain and fear from the firelight, a large comfort to all.

At length, they came to a deep puddle that covered the entire floor. There was no way to walk around it: the only possible way across the floor was through the water.

"What if there are water monsters n the water?" Cecil asked.

"Leave it to me," Tellah said proudly, stepping to the edge of the puddle. He touched his finger to the surface and began chanting.

"THUNDER!"

Lighting rippled across the water in all directions, flickering in sparks over the top. Several small, harmless fish and a few other amphibious things floated to the top, electrocuted by the spell.

"If there was anything dangerous in the water, there isn't now," Tellah informed. He glanced down at the twins. Palom looked very interested, but Porom looked more than a little pale.

"Don't worry, dear, they didn't feel a thing," Tellah assured her, though she didn't look very comforted.

Yang cleared his throat. "Let's move on," he suggested and marched into the water. Though they were hesitant about walking into water with dead things floating in it, the others came quickly after him, not wanting to be left behind in the dark.

For the three men, the water didn't come up very high; only up to their shins. For the twins, the water came up past their knees, making it harder to keep pace.

"Need any help, kids?" Yang asked. "We can carry you, if you need."

"No, no. We're okay," Palom insisted, sloshing through the water and pretending that he was okay.

"I don't know. I'm getting a little worn out," Porom interjected. "Maybe we should—"

She set her foot down, but nothing caught her and she fell into the dark water. The water rose up over her head and she yelled for help, only to have her mouth fill up with the stale, metallic-tasting water. She attempted to swim back to the surface, but the weight of her coat was pulling her downwards. She was out of breath and tiring from struggling.

Porom suddenly felt someone pull her out of the deep water. As her head came over the surface, she inhaled deeply, coughing and trying to spit the coppery, dirty taste of the water out of her mouth. With a start, she began looking franticly for her brother, but all she could see in the dark was muscular tan skin and a bright green sash.

It was Yang, who also had Palom in his other arm.

"You two have to be more careful," Yang scolded playfully, setting the dripping twins in water that only came up to their knees. "The water can suddenly get very deep in places.

Porom wrapped her soaking green coat tighter around herself, feeling a little silly.

"We'll be more careful, won't we, Porom?" Palom said, nudging her in the ribs.

"Uh-hu," she said quietly.

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_My Dearest Mira,_

_I'll begin by assuring you that the twins are okay, mostly. Dark, damp, monster-filled waterways generally don't agree with small children._

_As for our party as a whole, I'm not so sure; perhaps following Yang beneath the castle wasn't such a good idea after all. We've been wandering around in this maze of marshy tunnels for a long time—perhaps a week?—and we're running low on all our supplies; torches, potions, ethers, precious food. Cecil is growing more and more tense every hour; I hardly recognize him without his skin on. He's so worried, I'm afraid his immune system might be going loopy. He won't admit it, but he is getting sick._

_I must admit, Mira, I'm a little scared. We didn't spend this long even in the Kaipo waterway; it wasn't this deep or dark, and it wasn't a twisting, turning labyrinth. What's more, I'm afraid that we're all catching something; whether from the damp and chill or from some mold or bacteria, I'm not sure._

_This safe-spot was a Godsend, and I wish that we could stay here for a while longer, but we'll have to haul out in a few hours. This has been the only chance I've had to write, and I regret that I have no uplifting news for you. Hopefully, the ext time I write, I will bear better news._

_Oh, here's something good: Palom and Porom have almost perfected the Break as a Twincast; the blind, albino creatures down here make for excellent practice. I look forward to their advancing as we continue; we may yet be down here a while longer._

_Your brother,_

_Tellah._

"TELEPORT!"

The letter levitated, spun around rapidly, and vanished in a poof of mist. Tellah hoped that Mira wouldn't worry too much.

His letter finished, he turned to his next task: a lean dinner of stale bread and roasted cave rat that he didn't feel like eating at all.

"I wish that we had more to eat than this filth," he muttered, pouting at the tough, stringy meat on the rock before him.

"It's not that bad," Palom insisted," so long as you try not to taste it too much." He took a big bite of his portion, chewed it quickly and gulped it down before it could hit his tongue.

Porom swallowed her bite just as quickly, sniffled, and said, "I'm pretending mine is an oatmeal cookie." She sounded congested and her throat was hoarse.

"You and your oatmeal cookies, sis. Well, I wouldn't really mind one myself, right now," Palom confessed and returned to chewing the rat.

"I still dream about the oatmeal cookies sometimes," he added vaguely.

"What oatmeal cookies?" Yang asked.

"Never mind that; kids, just eat your rat, okay?" Cecil directed irritably. It was the most he had spoken in several hours. His skin was unusually pale, and he tended to break out in a cold sweat a lot; when he did, Tellah had to use his Sap spell to force him to sit and rest for a few minutes. His blue eyes had a clouded look to them, and he had big black circles under them. He had the far off look of someone who was so sick that they couldn't stay focused for more than five minutes.

The twins complied with the paladin's command; Cecil had been sick for about three days now, and they had found that nothing could really cheer him, not even their antics.

"We'll have to be moving a long soon," Yang pointed out, noting how low the torch was burning. "But I hate to keep going. Cecil can barely stand, and Porom doesn't look so good either." Right on que, Porom punctuated Yang's comment with a sneeze that echoed through the cavern. She sniffled again, wiping her watery eyes with the back of her hand and her nose with the sleeve of her dirty coat.

"Sorry," she said, sounding a little embarrassed.

"One thing I will say," Tellah noted, "it would that seem that every time she sneezes, she casts a mini-Heal spell without meaning to. Can you feel it, Yang?"

Yang thought about it for a second and nodded. "I do feel it. How does she do that? I've never known a mage who can cast spells by sneezing."

"It's a rare thing, but many folks in Mysidia can do it. I've known my sister, Mira, to cast mini versions of starter spells when she sneezes; particularly when she is sick and has less control over what her body wants to do."

Yang nodded his head again. "Fascinating."

"Perhaps we should just park it for a while," Tellah thought. "Cecil and Porom's states aside, I think the rest of us could use a few hours too." He turned to Porom. "How 'bout you just lie down and go to sleep for a few extra hours?"

Porom sniffled again. "I'd like that."

Palom regarded his sister, looking worried. "Are you cold? I can cast a light Fire spell to keep you warm, if you need," he offered.

"No thanks, but if someone could whack my nose off with a sword so my sinuses can drain a little bit, I'd really like that," she answered.

"I like you better with your nose _on_," Palom informed. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You seem very concerned about your sister," Yang pointed out.

"I don't want her to die," the boy explained.

"No, none of us want her to die, now do we," Yang agreed.

Porom tugged on Palom's sleeve to get his attention. "Can I lean against you and sleep for a while?" she asked.

"Sure you can," Palom agreed. Porom sighed happily and collapsed against his shoulder, hugging her brother's ribs tightly like a cherished toy. He returned the hug, happy to have such a friend in his twin, even if they did annoy each other sometimes. Porom was snoring lightly in a matter of minutes.

Satisfied that she was situated, Palom turned to look over his shoulder at Cecil, who was still struggling through his meal.

"Water rat isn't _that_ exciting, Cecil; you ought to get some rest too, or you'll never get better," he cautioned.

"We shouldn't," Cecil insisted; with his scratchy throat, it sounded like he was growling. "We're lost; we have to find a way out. We can't if we're sitting here."

Tellah began chanting a now familiar spell:

"SAP!"

Cecil began glowing with a green aura, which flowed off of him like a river of green mist. It settled into a cloudy sphere in Tellah's palm, and Cecil fainted, drained of his last scraps of energy.

"I believe I'll give some of this to Porom; of all of us, she needs it the most," Tellah decided, pointing in her direction. The sphere flowed out of his palm and over to Porom, settling over her like diamond dust. She stirred a little bit, but didn't wake up.

"She should feel a lot better when she wakes up," Tellah informed, contemplating what to do with the rest of the glowing energy in his hand. He wanted to keep it on hand, in case Porom and Cecil got worse, but he and the other two needed a boost as well. He decided to put it to vote.

"What should I do with the rest of this?" he asked.

"You could absorb it yourself," Yang pointed out. "But then, could you use it again, should we need it?"

"Sure he could," Palom answered. "He could Sap himself and take that extra energy for us to use; but, so long as he has it, it will be safe and we can still use it."

Tellah nodded. "Very good. I'd like to keep this extra energy about, in case the patients get worse or someone else catches whatever they have. But, on the other hand, the two of you need and extra push, and so do I. Do you want me to just give it to you now or save it for a while?"

"Save it; Porom and Cecil need it more than we do," was Palom's immediate answer.

"He's right," Yang agreed. "We can recover our energy on our own while we rest; and it isn't fair to rob resources from the sick or injured."

Tellah nodded his head in agreement. "Very well, then. I'll just hold onto this." The glowing green mist flowed into his palm and vanished into his veins. He looked a little faint, as if he had gotten high off the new energy.

"I love it when the energy from a Sap spell hits you in the face," Tellah said as the high wore off. "After being so tired for so long, it really does feel like a drug."

"Then we should all be careful about it," Yang advised.

Tellah nodded again, thoughtfully, realizing the danger in what he had just said; especially in front of his young, rash nephew.

"Well said, Yang. Well said, indeed."

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Yang checked his tarnished pocket watch, a token from the king for his service, against the bright new torch and sighed unhappily. The weight of Porom's sleeping self against his shoulders almost stifled it.

"It's almost 7:00 in the morning," he announced. "We rested all day and walked all night. That will be approximately eight or nine days that we've been at this, if we've kept track of time correctly."

"It's a good thing Cecil's too out of it to make a comment," Tellah added. "He'd lose more of his mind than he already has." In fact, Cecil was so out of it that Tellah had casted his Float spell on him and led the Float spell around with them. It was all a tricky matter of making sure that the paladin slept, Sapping his energy whenever he regained enough of it to wake up, and making sure the Float spell didn't wear off. Tellah was so full of the energy he was Sapping from Cecil that he could have restored the entire party at least twice and a half.

Yang stopped still and looked ahead. There was a fork in the muddy path, leading to two new tunnels. Both were too dark to see down.

"I think I know this place; it's hard to tell down here," Yang commented.

"Everything looks the same down here," Palom whined. "Which way do we go?"

"Hang on," Yang said determinedly, walking up to the fork. He listened carefully to the darkness and turned to the left tunnel.

"We go this way," he announced.

"How do you know?" Tellah asked.

"I can hear water flowing this way. That will be the channel that feeds the moat. We're almost there," Yang explained.

Tellah perked up. "Maybe, in a few minutes, I can think about reviving Cecil again. What can we expect from this channel?"

"There will be a big waterwheel which feeds the water upwards, above ground. We'll have to ride it up and then swim the moat," Yang answered.

"Ride a waterwheel? That sounds a little cramped," Tellah protested.

"Trust me; it's a _big_ waterwheel. The current may be a little strong, so we'll probably want to rest for a minute, get our things secured, and make sure we have a set plan for when we get to a stop."

"Is there a safe spot coming up?" Palom asked.

"There should be," Yang answered. "In just a few minutes, we should be there."

And, true to his word, after a few more minutes in the tunnel, the emerged on a cliff ledge overlooking a wide underground river. A giant waterwheel spun like a Farris wheel in the current, propelling water into an opening in the cave ceiling.

"Wow. You weren't kidding when you said the waterwheel was big," Tellah agreed, looking around at the scenery. The bucket-like water carriers were big enough to carry all of them at once. The sage looked down off the cliff at the river below. The river ran at a powerful speed, straight into the waterwheel and turning it rapidly. The water that ran right into the turners created a current that swept anything it caught into the wheel. Once in one of the turners, the water was propelled upward and emptied out of a large hole in the ceiling. Tellah presumed that the hole led to the moat.

"Hey, look!" Palom said, pointing behind the waterwheel. "There's a door and some stairs. Do you think we can get up that way?"

"That was the way I came the first time I was here," Yang identified. "There is a small bridge up ahead, which we can cross to the opposite bank of the river and climb the stairs. It shouldn't be too difficult."

"Cool! Sounds like fun!" Palom said cheerfully, rubbing his hands together.

"How small a bridge are we talking?" Tellah asked.

"Pretty small, and a little bit unsteady, but it will hold; it's only a decade or two old. Cecil might know more about it."

"Can we see it from here?" Palom asked, running to the edge and looking around.

"Turn and look that way," Yang advised, pointing upstream. Palom turned to look and saw a small stone arch over the wide river. It looked very small, indeed, and it had no railing.

"Do you really think we'll be able to cross it safely?" Palom asked doubtfully.

"Just don't jump up and down on it, and you should be fine," Yang dismissed.

"Oh."

Someone shouted, sending echoes through the cavern. Yang and Porom turned to look, and Porom stirred a little. Tellah had just revived Cecil, who looked a little better, now that he had rested for a day and a half. He was looking all around himself, rightly dazed and confused.

"Where am I? What's going on?" Cecil demanded.

"We're about to cross a bridge and go into the castle," Palom informed, attempting to be helpful.

Cecil's attention was drawn to the gigantic waterwheel. "What's that? Why's it in the waterway? No, wait... I remember now. That's the thing that fuels the moat. And I know what bridge you're talking about," he added, jamming his thumbs into his temples. "It leads to a side door; it's for cleaning the moat when debris builds up after a storm or things like that."

"Do you know if it's safe?" Tellah asked.

"So long as you don't jump up and down on it."

Tellah made a thoughtful noise.

"I guess the little demonstration speech about the waterway hasn't changed much in a while," Yang noted.

They rested for a few hours at the safe spot, antsy about crossing the tiny bridge. And when they time came to get up and pick their way down a faint path down the cliff, Cecil found that his legs refused to work from being useless for so long. With a little help from everyone (except Porom, who was still riding on Yang's shoulders and fast asleep), he finally got the hang of walking again and they began their descent.

The trip down the cliff wasn't so hard; the trail was nice and wide, only a little bumpy, and not just a vertical drop. They made the trip down to the riverbank in less than an hour. Yang checked his pocket watch again.

"It's about 11:46. All things, considered, we've made good time," he announced, contemplating the little bridge. "Are we ready?"

Cecil, Tellah, and Palom all nodded doubtfully.

"Let's just get it over with," Yang said hurriedly and stepped onto the bridge. The long stone slab wobbled beneath him.

"Please be careful," Palom blurted out. "That's the only sister I've got!" He scurried after Yang, followed by Tellah and then Cecil. They inched across the plank like a balance beam, their arms extended out for balance. Still, they tottered sometimes for a few frightening seconds, aware at all times of the powerful current right beneath them. If one of them fell, they would be swept up the waterwheel and into the moat. To be drowned in the deep, cold water? To be captured by guards? Anything was possible.

Something snorted upstream, sending fine spray into the air. They all turned to look, startled to see some kind of water large water monster being propelled downstream by the current. It looked like a big yellow fish with sickly red-orange splotches all over. Its teeth were long and sharp, like claws.

"Look at the size of it," Palom said, pointing at it like the others couldn't see it. It was at least twice the size of a dolphin, thrashing in the water, trying to fight the current.

"If that thing hits us, it's going to destroy the bridge!" Tellah cried. "We have to get off this thing or we're dead!"

Everyone charged for the other side, praying that they had enough time to get across. Alas, the monster collided with them, breaking the stone slab into pieces and sending the party flying into the cold, churning water.

Yang got his head above the water, slightly surprised to see that Porom had managed to hang on to him. Like the others around him, she was coughing and breathing hard.

"What's going on?" she asked, sounding rightly panicked.

"We fell," was all that Yang had time to say. He was more concerned about the monster; in the water, they were at a disadvantage against it. "Where's the monster?" he hollered across the current, to where the others had drifted.

"It missed the water wheel!" Tellah yelled back. "It's drifting away!"

"Can't say the same for us, though!" Cecil pointed out. The current was pulling them directly into the waterwheel.

Yang gulped. "Porom, hold on as tight as you can; this could get bumpy."

A few yards ahead of them, Tellah, Cecil and Palom were swept up the carrier before Yang and Porom. Inside the wooden water carrier, Yang was standing in water up to his waist and rocked the thing with every movement. With the wheel turning so fast, they were fifty feet in the air in less than two minutes; if he tipped the carrier, he and Porom would both plummet to their deaths. He kept as still as he could.

"Hey down there! Are you guys okay?"

Yang looked up to see Cecil leaning out of the carrier above them.

"As okay as we can be," Yang answered. "Are Tellah and Palom alright?"

"If incredibly frightened doesn't count, they're fine," Cecil answered. "How's Porom?"

"Glued to my shoulders. What now?"

"The water's going to be really fast when we get dumped into the moat. Brace yourselves," Cecil advised and disappeared back into the carrier.

"Are we going to survive this?" Porom asked shakily.

"I certainly hope so."

Suddenly, they flipped upside down and both landed face-first in more fast-running water. He felt Porom let go of his shoulders, and his back went numb with cold. He pulled his head above the water, gasping for breath. Even though the water was rushing past him at a deafening speed, he could still hear his friends shouting in surprise and fear. He tried to steer himself, but couldn't seem to get control over his large body.

"Where are the twins!" he heard Cecil yell over the crash of the water.

"I don't know!" he heard Tellah holler back, before gasping for breath and disappearing below the surface.

A half-recovered memory flashed before Yang's eyes: he was in the cold, salty water, pulling Rydia back to the surface. There was the serpent that Tellah had confirmed was Leviathan. He heard Rydia scream in terror, and he heard the monster roar savagely in answer. He was spiraling into blackness once more, and Rydia was slipping our of his arms—

No! Not this time! He dove under the water, hoping to find the twins before they drowned.

He found Palom first. The child had trapped himself in an underwater current by trying to swim against it; instead of being pushed forward, he was hardly going anywhere. Yang grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the current, pushing him up to the surface to breathe.

"Where's my sister?" was the first thing he said when he had a breath.

"I'm looking for her right now," Yang informed, noting that the water was slowing down. Actually, it seemed shallower too; he felt his feet touching the bottom. Up ahead, Cecil and Tellah seemed to have gained some control themselves, swimming through the water instead of tumbling through it like toy boats.

"Are the twins okay?" Tellah asked over his shoulder.

Before yang could answer, Palom yelled back, "He lost Porom! I'll bet that she's dead now! What are we going to do?!"

"Calm down! I'm fine!" said a voice.

The four all turned to see Porom sitting on the bank of the moat ahead of them, dripping wet and panting for breath. She was trying to wipe her stringy hair out of her eyes and struggle out of her sodden coat at the same time, and she sneezed violently.

They made their way to the bank and clamored up out of the water. Palom jumped off of Yang like a springboard onto the ground, sloshing over to his sister indignantly.

"You did it again!" he scolded. "Quit scaring me like that, or I'm going to… do something to you!" he warned, shaking his finger at her.

Porom gazed up at his like she was confused. "What did I do?"

Palom snorted and thumped down on the ground beside her, shedding his coat as well. "Moving in these coats isn't so easy when they're wet, huh?" he noted, changing the subject abruptly.

Porom sniffled and nodded vaguely. She was still exhausted and sick.

The three men, also exhausted, flopped down on the cool, grassy bank. A breeze whistled by and they all shivered.

"Well, the point is that we've made it to the castle," Cecil pointed out. "Now all we have to do is walk the bank, open the front gate, get inside, find Cid, and get out as fast as humanly possible."

"That's a long list," Palom moaned. "Can't we take a nap or something first?"

"He has a point, for once," Tellah agreed, sitting up and leaning on his staff. "I don't think any of us can walk a step, much less go questing inside the castle."

"But we must get out of the wind, or we'll catch our deaths; not to mention that Porom's still sick," Yang added. "Do you think we could get a room inside the castle first? Perhaps we could disguise ourselves somehow? Convince the guards that we're refugees?"

"It could work," Cecil agreed. "If the mages I knew still work here, they won't only recognize and welcome me but they'll give us all rooms and supplies for a few hours. Speaking of which, did any of our supplies make it?"

Everyone checked themselves for their bags and items, and found themselves stripped of everything but their clothes.

Cecil sighed. "Someone get Porom; we need to get inside the castle and find some help. Let's pray that someone will help us inside."

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Alright! A reasonable stopping point!

Now, how 'bout some previews, eh?

_In the next chapter…_

_Porom's cold is evolving into a fever! Good thing that Rosa's old teacher is about and willing to help!_

"Mrs. Farrell seems very nice," Tellah noted.

"She is," Cecil agreed. "She's probably risking a lot—maybe even her life—to get us this room and medicine."

"She's so very skilled," Yang added. "She seems vaguely familiar, like I've met her somewhere before, but I can't really say. It's her face, and her eyes; I've seen them before."

"I know," Cecil said, nodding his head. "Don't you remember Rosa's last name?"

Yang thought for a minute. "No, I don't. No one ever mentioned it."

"It's Farrell."

Everyone was silent.

"Then," Palom realized, "that white mage is her mother?"

_Fully restored and supplied once more, Cecil is in for yet _another_ surprise!_

"It's impressive, isn't it? What have you to say to my new gift?" Baigan said cheerily, moving his serpentine head from side to side.

Tellah felt sick; he wanted to throw up. What kind of low-life scum would allow something so evil to distort and destroy his body like this? The body of a lizard, the head and neck of a snake, and all for enhanced strength. Who would sell himself for such a grim fate? Nothing could be worth this!

He heard Palom whisper to Porom, "I _knew_ he was trouble!"

"We should have spoken up; if we had, maybe this wouldn't have happened!" Porom answered.

Tellah spat at the monster's feet. "Some gift."

_And, just when it seemed like the misfortune and lies had come to an end, it turns out that they have but come to a head!_

The king laughed menacingly.

"'Your majesty'? You must be referring to that weakling I've been posing as for all these months." He grinned evilly. "I must say, playing his role has been most amusing."

Cecil growled in his throat, baring his white teeth like a mad dog. "What have you done with my king?" he demanded.

The imposter rose from the throne and advanced on them. In a voice that sounded superimposed over his real voice, he said, "You'll see him soon enough. And, while you're at it, say hi to Scarmiglione for me. He was never worthy to be an elemental lord."

In a flash, he transformed into a horrific turtle-like creature with a long forked tongue.

"Me, on the other hand, that's a different story!"

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break! (We hope…)_

_Brought to you in part by…_

Em's Oven Creations! Just add water, flour, eggs, sugar, sour cream, and frosting! Only 20 per cake! Em's Oven Creations: "It's the BEST kind of love!"


	14. Mrs Farrell

Chapter 13: Mrs. Farrell

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Dripping wet and half frozen in the chilly breeze, the party ran along the bank of the moat, which had slowed down to a lazy, leisurely pace.

"Cecil, you sure got better quick," Palom noted as he ran.

"I know; and that's great. But I'm worried about your sister; she looks terrible," Cecil said with a glance at Porom, unconscious again in Yang's arms.

"She feels like a furnace," Yang added. "She's developing a fever on top of whatever else she had."

"Swell," Tellah grumbled impatiently. "Some uncle _I_ turned out to be! How much further till we reach the gate?"

"Around the turn that's coming up, and then only a few hundred yards forward," Cecil informed. "Although, I don't know how they'll welcome me or any foreigners. They might not let us in," he warned.

"But they have to!" Palom protested. "If they make us leave, we'll have wandered around in the waterway for a whole week for nothing!"

Keeping all of this mind, they rounded the bend, skidding to a halt. There were two guards up ahead, one on either side of the impressive main gate. Cecil squinted to try and see who they were.

"I think I know those two, but I can't tell from here. If they're who I think they are, we might have a straight shot," he said, lowering his voice.

"It's safer to not trust a hope until we actually get there," Tellah advised, also casting a concerned glance at Porom. Palom stood up on his tip-toes to see her, but Yang was too tall; unable to see how she was doing, he felt worried.

"We should go slowly and quietly, lest we draw unwanted attention," Cecil advised. "We might get shot at if someone knows we're here."

They all crept slowly and carefully up the bank, closer and closer to the drawbridge before them. The two guards, whoever they were, didn't see or hear them; they seemed to be dozing.

At last, they came to the spot right before the bridge, where the bank ended suddenly and was replaced by a few rocks sticking up from the water. Cecil signaled for everyone else to stay back while he went forward to get the guard's attention.

"Hey!" he whispered to the guard closest to him, but the man didn't stir. Cecil tentatively reached out his hand and shook the man gently until he came to, blinking his eyes and shaking his head.

"Romelle, wake up. It's me; it's Cecil."

Romelle, the shaggy-haired guard looked up at the paladin and snapped to attention.

"Sir Cecil! You're back!" he said, and then lowered his voice suddenly. "You look… different. What have you been doing?"

"It's a long story," Cecil informed. "Is that Allun?" he asked, pointing to the opposite guard.

"In fact," Romelle confirmed, bending down to pick up a small pebble. He threw it at his companion, who jumped with a start from his doze.

"Allun, pull yourself together! Cecil's back!" Romelle called in a hushed tone.

Allun looked around him. "Where? I don't see him."

"Over here," Cecil said, waving his hand to get attention.

Allun grinned. "It's good to see you again; we all heard what happened in Fabul, with you and Rosa and Kain, and we thought you were a goner for sure. By the way, what are dressed as?"

"Stop fooling around, Allun," Cecil demanded. "Look: I'm here with four friends; we just got out of the waterway about 15 minutes ago. We need to get inside, and quickly. Can you help us?"

The guard's faces fell.

"We can't let you in, Cecil," Romelle informed sadly.

"For so many reasons," Allun added.

Cecil growled with frustration. "Why not?"

"They'll capture you all, for one," Allun pointed out.

"Not to mention we'll hang as well, for letting you in; warrants are out for your arrest, you know," Romelle added.

"You guys, there are children with me; one of them has a fever. You have to at least let _them_ in," Cecil begged.

Romelle was about to list the reasons why he and Allun weren't allowed to do that either, when someone nearby whispered, _psst!_ and they all looked around to see who was there.

"Hey! Cecil! Up here!"

Cecil and the guards look up and there, standing on top of the wall, was a woman. She looked to be middle aged, though the year had been very kind to her: her brown eyes were bright, her long blonde hair had no trace of silver or gray, and her face was almost completely void of wrinkles.

Cecil's face brightened. "Mrs. Farrell?"

The woman raised a finger to her lips. "Be quiet." She turned to Romelle and Allun. "Let them in," she whispered to them. "I'll take care of everything."

"Yes ma'am," Romelle said, nodding respectfully to her. He turned to Allun and nodded a signal. Allun scurried to a switch on the wall and pulled it down slowly. The gate swung open slowly and noiselessly.

"Go right on in, I guess," Allun said nervously.

Cecil looked like he was ready to cry with joy. "Thank you guys, _so_ much," he said, still at a whisper, as he jumped up onto the bridge. "You have no idea what this means."

Romelle and Allun helped the others up, and looked back and forth from Palom to Porom curiously.

"Are they twins?" Allun asked as they walked inside.

"They are," Cecil agreed.

"Is he going to be alright?" Allun asked.

"It's a she," Cecil corrected, "and, with Mrs. Farrell's assistance, I think she'll be okay."

Palom looked over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out at the guards.

"That's for not letting us in," he said crossly. "Now my sister could die of a fever 'cause of you." He ran after the others, leaving Allun and Romelle feeling a bit ashamed for not letting a sick little girl into the castle for medical treatment.

They all met Mrs. Farrell by the wall, where she was waiting patiently for them. She was tall, willowy, and had a natural grace about her that seemed draped around her like a scarf. Her arms crossed casually across her chest, she looked as regal and imposing as a queen.

When she saw exactly who Cecil was with, her golden brow rose in a high, questioning arc. "You keep odd company these days," she noted in a quiet voice. Her voice was low pitched and delicately rich, like fine velvet. Palom liked her at once; Yang was caught in awe; Tellah was intimidated by the amount of magic that radiated from her; Cecil kept his eyes low, afraid to look her in the eye.

"I know, ma'am," was all that Cecil said.

"Is that child there sick?" Mrs. Farrell asked, sounding concerned in a doctoral manner.

Now Cecil brought his eyes up, as if he had been given permission to look at her. "Yes, she is."

Mrs. Farrell surveyed them all. "You're all drenched; and you all look a mess. Cecil, who are these people, and what have you been doing?"

"Friends, that I've met in my travels. We—"

"_Children_?"

"I can explain—"

Mrs. Farrell silenced him with a wave of her hand. "Explain as we walk. That poor child needs treatment. Follow me," she directed, beckoning them all to follow her. She began walking briskly toward a door, and the others followed after her.

Tellah walked fast enough to slide up beside her. "Ma'am, my name is Tellah; Tellah Faraxhae. May I speak to you?"

Mrs. Farrell extended her hand for Tellah to shake. "Georgette Farrell, white mage. Lower your voice, Mr. Faraxhae." She opened the door and propelled them inside, down a hall with a row of wooden doors.

Tellah scowled at her, but obeyed her; if anyone loyal to the insane king found out that they were here, it could mean curtains for them all.

"I know a great deal about you and your family, Tellah. You are a red mage, are you not?"

"I am—"

"So why not heal the child yourself?"

"Because I'm almost drained of MP right now; we've been wandering around in the waterway for more than a week!"

"The waterway?"

"And, for your information, it destroys me that I can't heal her more than slight health boost: that sick child is my only niece. I've been trying to keep her healthy for the past several days, and nothing I've done has worked!"

"Lucky for you, then, white magic is my area of expertise. Your niece will be just fine. And what kind of stupid person drags a small child—let alone two of them—through the waterway? You're lucky they haven't gotten tetanus." She looked over her shoulder and studied Palom for a second. His face turned pink when he saw her staring at him and he let his eyes wander away.

"The other child, another niece of yours? She looks exactly like—"

"My _nephew_," Tellah corrected, happy to interrupt _her_ for a change. "They're twins."

Mrs. Farrell nodded understandingly. She finally stopped at a door and opened it. "I'll take good care of your niece, Mr. Faraxhae. Bring her in here and I'll start right away."

Yang came forward, still carrying Porom. Palom ran in after him and gazed around the room. It was fairly plain, decked with only with a bed, a bookshelf packed with books on white magic, a stove/oven contraption for cooking potions and other medicine, a small table with two chairs, and a small cot in the corner. Against one wall was a door.

"Put her in bed," she directed, moving swiftly and deliberately to the stove and reaching for a large pot and some small glass jars. "Go in that closet over there; you'll find towels and some dry clothes; odds and ends, mostly, but I'm sure that you'll each find something to fit you." She turned to Cecil again. "Now, what's all this I've heard about Rosa and Kain?"

Cecil paled and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry for what has happened."

"Well, from what I understand, it wasn't really your fault," Mrs. Farrell dismissed as she measured ingredients into her pot. "The story that_ I_ heard was that you, Rosa, and a few others arrived in Fabul about a week after the raid on Damcyan, and that you attempted to protect the wind crystal."

"Yes ma'am, that is correct."

"I understand that you lost track of Kain after that terrible earthquake, when you went to Mist village, yes?"

"It's a long story, but yes. I lost consciousness and he was gone when I came to."

"And then he appeared in Fabul. Only he challenged you to a duel, beat you half to death, and then kidnapped Rosa."

"Um, not quite," Cecil informed, shaking his head. "What happened was that Kain showed up and beat me half to death because Golbez had kidnapped _him_ and brainwashed him against all of us. Then, after Kain beat me up, Golbez showed up, laughed at me, and kidnapped Rosa; now he's holding her hostage somewhere, and he'll probably kill her if he finds out that I'm trying to find and stop him. Kain didn't kidnap anyone; he was just there and didn't help us." As he finished his recap, Yang tossed him a rough white towel and a clean hospital shirt.

"Thanks, Yang."

"No sweat," the monk insisted, and went to pass out more towels.

"I didn't think it was your fault," Mrs. Farrell said quietly. "You may have a knack for getting into trouble, but I didn't think you'd just _let_ some homicidal maniac take Rosa without a fight."

"He had no fight left in him at the time; I was there with him," Yang informed, absentmindedly dumping a towel and a shirt that was too big on Palom's head. The boy fussed, but Yang didn't seem to register.

Mrs. Farrell's eyebrows rose. "Really? How fortuitous. You're the young man who washed up on the outskirts of the desert a few days ago, aren't you?"

"Yes ma'am. We met on Mt. Hobbs a few weeks ago, just before the raid on Fabul. And then we were shipwrecked."

"Which brings us to why we were in the waterway in the first place," Tellah said, rubbing his gray hair vigorously with his towel so that it proofed like an afro. "We're looking for a man named Cid Pollendina, an airship engineer. If we can get an airship and travel unmolested across the world, we may be able to find where Golbez is keeping Rosa before he does her any further harm."

"Ah, I see," Mrs. Farrell said, sounding like she was beginning to understand what this whole thing was about. "You snuck through the waterway, hoping that you would go undetected by the king or anyone else."

"I thought that it would only take a few days; two or three, four tops," Yang informed sadly. I was very wrong."

"Well, you made it through alive, didn't you?"

"Alive, sure, but what about Porom?" Palom reminded, still sounding cross and a bit anxious.

"She'll be fine," Tellah insisted. "Mrs. Farrell will take care of her; don't worry."

"She'd better," Palom grumbled, winding his braid boredly around his finger. It was barely a braid anymore; the long lock of brown hair was come undone, the tie lost long ago in the cave, and was mostly a damp, knappy tangle.

"Don't worry about your sister," Mrs. Farrell repeated. "She's not going to die, I can promise you that. And, with this medicine that I'm making, her fever will break in less than an hour. She'll recover by tomorrow morning."

"He worries about her a lot," Cecil informed. "She _is_ his twin sister."

"Can't blame him, I guess," Mrs. Farrell agreed, stirring her potion. She looked over at the twin's coats, draped over one of the chairs and dripping puddles of water on the stone floor. (Of course, there was water all over the floor now.) The two coats, aside form being wet, were covered in mud, bits of debris, and even torn in a few places. She covered her pot.

"I'm going to leave that potion to simmer for a while," she informed, taking the wet coats from the chair. "While we wait, I'm going to see what I can do about these; they're in awful condition. In the meantime, someone get a mop and clean this place up; someone's going to slip, and it had better not be me."

She went to the door, but hesitated before reaching for the knob. She cleared her throat and turned back to her company. "I'm sorry if I seem a bit coarse," she apologized. "I've been a very strict teacher almost all my life. And, with Rosa's disappearance and all the awful things Golbez has been doing, it's been a very hard few months for me; and everyone else in this kingdom."

"We all understand," Yang said comfortingly. "We've all experienced it firsthand; even the children. We will all be patient with you."

Mrs. Farrell smiled weakly, as if she was smiling for the first time after forgetting how, and she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Mrs. Farrell seems very nice," Tellah noted.

"She is," Cecil agreed. "She's probably risking a lot—maybe even her life—to get us this room and medicine."

"She's so very skilled," Yang added. "She seems vaguely familiar, like I've met her somewhere before, but I can't really say. It's her face, and her eyes; I've seen them before."

"I know," Cecil said, nodding his head. "Don't you remember Rosa's last name?"

Yang thought for a minute. "No, I don't. No one ever mentioned it."

"It's Farrell."

Everyone was silent.

"Then," Palom realized, "that white mage is her mother?"

Cecil nodded.

"Is that why she seems so tense with you?" Tellah asked.

"I suppose so. When I was younger, she was like a surrogate mother to me."

"Surrogate?" Palom asked. 'What's that?"

"A stand-in," Tellah informed, "like your uncle raising you and Porom in place of your real father. (God rest his soul.)"

"Oh. I get it," Palom said, nodding his head rapidly.

"But, as I started getting older," Cecil continued, "she suddenly grew really cold. I didn't understand why; I thought maybe it was because I had a bit of a prankster streak until I was about 17 years old."

Palom snickered. "You? Really?"

"You'd be surprised by some of the things that Kain and I did as teenagers; I'm actually a little embarrassed by some of them," Cecil admitted, trying to hide a blush behind his hand.

Yang sighed regretfully. "You and Kain were really good friends, huh?"

Cecil sighed too. "Yeah... But, things have been pretty rough between Mrs. Farrell and I for the past two or three years."

"And I'm assuming that she taught Rosa all that she knows about white magic?" Yang guessed.

"That's correct. She tried to teach me too, but it didn't really work."

Has anyone seen some paper and a pen around?" Tellah asked, getting up and pacing the room urgently. "Now that we've gotten out if the waterway and are safe, I'd like to write to Mira and let her know we're okay."

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"Here you go," Georgette said, almost cheerily, handing the twins back their coats the next morning. "Good as new."

Palom shoved his arms into his mended red coat almost as soon as he got it, happy to have it back. Porom shook her head in disbelief at him.

"It's too hot in here; you'll get heat-rash," she scolded.

"I don't care!" Palom informed jubilantly, running in a circle with his arms stretched out, like a bird.

Porom shook her head again. Instead, she picked up a piece of paper and a pen with colored ink, a small favor that Georgette had found to keep the twins occupied, and began to draw a picture. The older white mage watched with interest as the girl formed flowers, birds, and a house on her sheet of paper.

_I remember when Rosa was that age,_ she thought sadly, sending up a prayer for her missing daughter, her only child; the fifth, since this morning.

She glanced over at Tellah, sitting cross-legged on the floor in the corner, writing what she had heard to be a letter to his little sister, Palom and Porom's mother. He had been far more excited over the pens and paper that she had brought back than the twins had initially been, which had puzzled her at first. (The supplies had been meant for the children.) But she understood soon: if she had a younger sibling halfway across the world, and she had her small niece and nephew in her care, she'd have been anxious to write, too.

As it was, Georgette had no brothers or sisters; nor did she have any living relatives left, say for Rosa. As she watched Tellah scribbling his letter, she felt a small bubble of jealousy form in her heart. She let it burst and dismissed it as a passing, fleeting discomfort. Rosa was in a bad situation, wherever she was, but at least Kain was with her, and he _would_ protect her. Brainwashed or not. And, besides: Cecil was coming for her. He would not fail.

Tellah finished writing, folded the letter in half, and wrote the address on the front. Then he chanted his Teleport spell, which echoed through the room loud enough to make Georgette's teeth chatter slightly. The letter levitated in the air, spun rapidly for a second or two, and then vanished.

"Will anyone care about the echo?" Porom asked nervously.

"They'll probably think it was just me," Georgette soothed. "You're worried about Cecil and Yang, yes?" The twins nodded.

"They'll be fine; they can handle themselves," she assured them. "The people around need to know that Cecil is back; if they know that he's here and he's going to help them, they'll be willing to lend their support."

"He'll no longer need to fight alone," Tellah pointed out. "He's been fighting this battle almost completely alone from the beginning. First time we met, all he had was a scrawny little summoner; poorest little mite I'd ever seen. But I thought that if he could make it back to Kaipo in time to save his fair lady, he would have enough hope to go on somehow. But so much happened while I wasn't looking. Your mother and uncle were right; I always run off too soon and stay away for too long."

As he finished, Cecil and Yang re-entered the room with new bags full of new equipment in them.

"Everything's set," Yang informed. "Porom, how are you feeling?"

"Better," she said, smiling. She turned her drawing around for everyone to see. "What do you think? Do you like it?"

"I love it," Cecil answered, digging around in his bag. He pulled out two small rectangular boxes. "Kids, we got these for you."

"Yay! Presents!" Palom cried and ran over to get the boxes. He brought the second box to Porom, and they opened them together. They pulled lollipops made of chocolate. Palom's was shaped like a star, and Porom's was a crescent moon. They both squealed gleefully, thanking Cecil and Yang over and over again.

"It was worth the extra gil to get those for them," Cecil said, sounding pleased and content.

Georgette smiled. "You like children?"

Cecil grinned. "Love 'em."

"Huh. Maybe you wouldn't be such a bad father for my grandchildren after all."

While his friends tried to hide their laughter, Cecil turned away to hide his blush. Georgette seemed to make him blush a lot; on purpose?

"Sir Cecil!" someone exclaimed. They all turned to look and saw a blonde man in red armor standing in the doorway, staring with disbelief at Cecil.

"I'm so glad that you're okay!" the man exclaimed, running to Cecil. "We all for sure that you were dead!"

"I had wondered what had become of you, Baigan," Cecil answered, clasping the stranger's hand in greeting. Palom glanced at Porom, passing an unspoken message to her.

_Something's not right about that guy,_ he was thinking.

_I know,_ was her unspoken answer. He didn't read her mind or hear her thoughts, but rather felt her response as a sort of vibe and read it on her face.

_What should we do?_ He wondered.

_Let's watch him,_ he felt her answer. _It could be a trap!_

Georgette caught all of this, feeling the vibes of their conversation; even though they didn't know she did. And she agreed with them. Now that she thought about it, something did seem different about Baigan today.

"How long have you known they were here?" she asked.

"Since about five minutes ago," the knight answered, bowing respectfully to the mage. "I saw Cecil wandering in the halls, with the monk over there, and I came to see him." Baigan scanned the room. "An interesting lot you've got with you," he noted to Cecil.

"It's a very long story," Cecil informed. "You're not going to report us or anything, are you?"

"Me? No; you're on your way to deal with the king, yes?"

"In fact."

"Don't worry; I'm on your side. Would you mind if I came with you?" Baigan asked.

Cecil's eye lit up. "Of course you can. We need all the help we can get. Be ready in an hour."

Baigan nodded and darted off. "I'll return soon," he called back.

"Another friend of yours?" Yang asked, fastening his new fighting claws to his wrists.

"Not particularly. I mean, we know each other but we aren't really friends. And, the last time I saw him, he kind of got me in trouble."

"He seems happy to see you in one piece," Tellah noted.

"I'm pretty happy that he's okay too. He's really not so bad, I guess," Cecil said vaguely. "Besides, his blade will be a good asset, should things go badly."

"It's best to keep the group small, you know," Yang pointed out. "Five is a lot fewer to keep tract of than six; especially since we all know each other somehow and you and Baigan are barely friends."

After listening to all this, Georgette nodded as if she had made a decision. "I would advise you to watch your back, Cecil," she said calmly. "I sense danger ahead. But, while you're having your fun, I should go look for Cid."

"You'd do that?" Cecil asked.

"Certainly. I have no idea where he's being kept right now, and if you're all starting off within the hour you'll be needing him soon. I'd better get started." She glided over to the stove and selected a glass vial from a shelf. She filled it with the potion she had made the night before, which was a bright pink color, and put a stopper in the top. She handed it to Tellah.

"This is for Porom's cough. She's fully recovered, but she had a nasty scare so she may still have a painful cough for a few days. If she starts, give her a teaspoon of this; it will soothe her throat."

Tellah accepted the vial. "Thank you, Mrs. Farrell."

Georgette smiled. "It's my job. Your niece and nephew are such sweet children; take good care of them, and they will become wonderful people one day."

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Baigan made six. Cecil had no idea why he felt the need to have to much man power just for an interview with the aging king, but something told hm that he did. Tellah, on the other hand, had a bad feeling. Something evil was lurking in the walls of castle Baron, something close by. Something worse than Scarmiglione had been. And he could see that the twins were nervous too; they sensed it as well.

_They don't let Baigan out of their sight,_ he realized. _Am I thinking of the wrong person? I've been wondering about the king, myself._

As the approached the wooden double doors that led to the throne room, Cecil stopped. Everyone else halted as well.

"What is it?" Yang asked.

"I don't know," the paladin answered, looking around. "Something's not right."

Baigan began to shake. "What do you think it is?" he asked, sounding scared.

"It feels kind of like…" Tellah said, "_a monster_."

Baigan started quaking even harder. "You really think so?"

_He isn't scared at all,_ Tellah thought to himself. _He's lying. Could it be?_

"Wow, are _you_ a rotten liar," Palom scoffed at Baigan, folding his arms and looking annoyed.

Baigan stopped shaking enough to ask, "What do you mean?"

Porom planted her fists on her hips and said, "Sir, I mean no disrespect, but that acting of yours is about as subtle as a crutch."

Baigan scowled at the twins, but when they just scowled back at him, almost demanding an explanation, he grinned evilly.

"Uh-oh," Tellah heard Yang mutter. Whatever was coming, it wasn't going to be anything like they had expected.

""I'll admit it," Baigan laughed, "you kids caught me." He muttered some words in a foreign language, and a dense fog formed around him, hiding him from view. Everyone took the opportunity to back away and brace themselves for whatever Baigan had in store for them.

"I'm sorry everyone," Cecil said sadly. "I didn't think—"

"None of us did," Tellah pointed out as the fog began to evaporate.

What stood before them was definitely _not_ a human. The thing has a smooth, reptilian body, like a salamander, and a long snake's neck which ended with the hooded head of a cobra, still wearing Baigan's red armor.

"It's impressive, isn't it? What have you to say to my new gift?" Baigan said cheerily, moving his serpentine head from side to side.

Tellah felt sick; he wanted to throw up. What kind of low-life scum would allow something so evil to distort and destroy his body like this? The body of a lizard, the head and neck of a snake, and all for enhanced strength. Who would sell himself for such a grim fate? Nothing could be worth this!

He heard Palom whisper to Porom, "I _knew_ he was trouble!"

"We should have spoken up; if we had, maybe this wouldn't have happened!" Porom answered.

Tellah spat at the monster's feet. "Some gift."

Baigan flicked his forked tongue at the sage. "You could never hope to understand. Golbez gave me this wonderful new ability just for the purpose of annihilating you; _all_ of you. You won't be going to see the king, Cecil. And you won't be rescuing Rosa or anyone else."

Cecil set his teeth. "We'll see about that," he informed menacingly.

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I named _another_ character after my best friend's family! Remember, I named Dharma after her dog? Well I named Georgette after her mom 0.0D

I have to say, I wasn't really sure how to end this chapter. Guess we're going to have to have a battle and a half next chapter. -_-0 I mean, if I did the Baigan battle _this_ chapter, I'd wind up with another 14 pager, like before, and I got a lot of comments about that.

Oh yeah, the sad part is coming up soon. Chapter after next, most likely. T.T

Previews, anyone?! XD

_If Baigan is willing to betray Baron for power, who can Cecil trust?_

"I can't believe that even Baigan, who seemed so loyal, could do something like this," Cecil lamented, staring at the reptilian corpse.

"What _I_ can't believe is that someone's going to have to clean this mess up," Tellah added nonchalantly, gazing in disgust at the growing puddles of black-blue blood on the stone floor.

"I pray that our interview goes better," Cecil sighed, deciding to ignore Tellah's comment.

_Another Elemental Lord? In the shape of the king?! What's next, the compacting walls from Star Wars IV?_

The turtle-like creature pulled itself inside its shell just in time to avoid the Thundaga.

"He's quick," Tellah said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"He can't move around in his shell," Yang pointed out. "While he's stuck inside, pound the shell with magic until it breaks; without it, he's got no chance."

Cecil only seemed to half hear the idea, and then it took him a second longer to register it. They could all tell that he had added another burden to his list:

What happened to the real king, and where was he now?

_But, even through all this trouble, one more chore has been taken care of: Cid is back!_

"Someone's getting a complementary face beating for locking me up in that sty!" the man bellowed. But he lowered his mallet and stared around confused.

"What 'n thunder happened in here?" he demanded.

"You missed all the action," Palom informed bluntly. "We beat him already."

"Beat who?" the man asked, sounding frustrated.

Cecil laughed. "Good ol' Cid."

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break!_

_Brought to you in part by…_

Poison-Tipped Shuriens! The ninja's weapon of choice when dealing with those _pesky_ priates! Poisons now in: South American tree frog, H2SO4, the Dip from 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit', and Uncle Al's Tequila Surprise! "We _love_ you, Poison-Tipped Shuriken Co!"


	15. The True King

Chapter 14: The True King

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Cecil stared with dismay at the mangled serpentine body, lying plastered with ice before him. Dark, glossy blood oozed out of at least 15 wounds to pool in the crevices between the cobbled stones that made up the floor.

"Apparently, _someone_ forgot that reptiles get all sluggish when they get cold," Palom said proudly, cracking his knuckles. "That imposter didn't stand a chance against my Blizzard attack." Porom whacked him again.

"The rest of us helped too, you know," she scolded.

"I can't believe that even Baigan, who seemed so loyal, could do something like this," Cecil lamented, staring at the reptilian corpse.

"What _I_ can't believe is that someone's going to have to clean this mess up," Tellah added nonchalantly, gazing in disgust at the growing puddles of black-blue blood on the stone floor.

"I pray that our interview goes better," Cecil sighed, deciding to ignore Tellah's comment. He walked forward to the door and the others followed him.

The door opened into a long hallway with another set of wooden double doors at the end. The air was close and smelled faintly of mold. The red carpet runner on the floor looked faded and worn, either by use or time. There were cobwebs in the corners. A draft drifted in through the open door and whistled eerily through the corridor, stirring the gossamer cobwebs.

"That's rather ominous and foreboding," Yang noted.

The twins shivered. "I'd sure hate to get trapped in there," Porom whispered to her brother. He nodded in agreement.

Nonetheless, the five walked down the hallway to the other doors. Cecil pulled them open effortlessly and they all exploded into the room beyond. The throne room was wide, open space, occupied at the moment only by a dias with an ornate throne.

The throne was occupied by an old man, possibly the same age as Georgette Farrell, and just as fair. He had far more wrinkles than she, though he looked healthy and alert; his graying hair and beard still had shocks of chestnut brown here and there. When they entered, he sat staring at them as if he was paralyzed. Then he seemed to register something and rose to greet them.

"Sir Cecil; you've returned," he said. He sounded like he was trying to sound pleased, but he ended up speaking with a flat robotic monotone.

Cecil nodded in agreement, hesitating to bow until he knew for sure what was going on. "So I have," he agreed. He kept his greeting short, hoping to give the king more room to let some clue slip out. As it was, he looked displeased.

"You've become a paladin, I see," he noted, assessing Cecil's armor, or what was left of it after the waterway. He sat back down casually. "It's a shame really. Dark knights have so much more tangible power than paladins."

Cecil cocked an eyebrow. The king Odin that he knew wouldn't say something like that; he had always expressed interest in holy power and had spoken frequently about acquiring a paladin for the royal army before. Cecil was surer of it than ever before: whoever this was, it was _not_ Odin of Baron.

"Your majesty?" he asked, trying to coax the imposter's true identity into the open.

The king laughed menacingly.

"'Your majesty'? You must be referring to that weakling I've been posing as for all these months." He grinned evilly. "I must say, playing his role has been most amusing."

Cecil growled in his throat, baring his white teeth like a mad dog. "What have you done with my king?" he demanded.

The imposter rose from the throne and advanced on them. In a voice that sounded superimposed over his real voice, he said, "You'll see him soon enough. And, while you're at it, say hi to Scarmiglione for me. He was never worthy to be an elemental lord."

In a flash, he transformed into a horrific turtle-like creature with a long forked tongue.

"Me, on the other hand, that's a different story!"

"Crap," Tellah muttered. "I _knew_ something like this was coming!" He stopped complaining and began chanting his Blizzaga spell.

"An elemental lord?" Yang asked nervously, flipping his claws back from rest to fight position.

"We've dealt with a monster like this before," Cecil calmed, unsheathing his sword with a _shink!_ "We can deal with this thing as well."

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Georgette was growing impatient. Something bad was going on, she could feel it, and she still hadn't found Cid. If she could find and free him, they could go help deal with the problem together. With his crazy mallets of doom and her white magic, they could very well end whatever was happening.

But first, she had to find him. And the guards had hidden him so well that they probably couldn't find him themselves.

She groaned with frustration, thinking back to all the places she had looked and all the places she hadn't.

_The towers? No I've searched them all repeatedly since he vanished. The dungeon? Nah, that's the first place I looked, and I've checked every cell at least five times. The shipyard? No one's seen him there for weeks!_

_But then, there's always..._

She didn't want to think about the castle's basement. The place had haunted her since she was a child. It was dark and creepy, full of bugs and dust and probably monsters, likely as not. And, lately, the place filled her with a sense of utter dread; a feeling of death.

But she hadn't thought to look in the basement for the missing engineer yet, mainly because of her fear of the place. Maybe he was locked there _just_ for that reason.

She gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and started off in the direction of the basement.

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Tellah casted another Blizzaga spell, buying some time while the twins worked their Twin Cast, and the beam of snow and ice flew at the monster. The spells they were using were impressive: Palom was cooking up an angry Blizzara while Porom contributed her newly learned Break. If it worked, it would not only do damage but petrify the monster, a one-hit KO. However, he doubted that Break would work so easily on such a powerful foe.

And besides, the monster continued to dodge his Blizzard attacks. As it evaded the beam if snow for the third time, it popped its smooth, blue head out of its shell and hissed.

"Try again, old man," it teased.

"You got it," Tellah answered, chanting his Thundaga. The twins let their Twin Cast lose on the monster, tense with anticipation. Distracted by Tellah, the thing didn't notice the spell until it was too late. The photon of snow and rock hit it full in the side, propelling it back into the wall. To avoid a lot of damage, it pulled inside its shell; however, when he reemerged, his right arm was discolored and heavy looking. Porom's Break had worked its magic.

Somewhat cheered by this hit, Tellah finished his spell and casted it quickly.

"THUNDAGA!"

The turtle-like creature pulled itself inside its shell just in time to avoid the Thundaga.

"He's quick," Tellah said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"He can't move around in his shell," Yang pointed out. "While he's stuck inside, pound the shell with magic until it breaks; without it, he's got no chance."

Cecil only seemed to half hear the idea, and then it took him a second longer to register it. They could all tell that he had added another burden to his list:

What happened to the real king, and where was he now?

The twins didn't seem to be bothered with this question. They were hard at work concocting their latest Twin Cast.

"How about a Thunder spell, coupled with your Osmose?" Palom suggested.

"It may not have any MP," Porom pointed out. "I'd like to see that Thunder—what? No, Thundara—with the Slow. He's so fast; if the Slow hits, he'll be unable to get away."

Palom beamed. "Great idea! Let's do it!" They began chanting their spells, and the big sphere of energy began to build between them once more, metallic yellow and light hazy green.

"Once we slow him down," Yang said to Cecil, "we might actually be able to get a hit in with the sword and claws."

Cecil nodded as the Twin Cast exploded on the shelled monster. Happily, the shell cracked in several places under the pressure. Tellah unleashed a new Blizzaga on it and the shell split apart in several pieces. The monster was left exposed, as vulnerable as a snail looking for a new shell. For that matter, he looked like an insect of some kind.

"Sweet!" Yang exclaimed, charging at the thing with his claws bared. Cecil followed after, his sword raised high.

The monster shrieked, raising his hands up to his face. It did little good: against Yang's sharp claws, Cecil's sword, and more meaty magic from Tellah and the twins, he had very little chance.

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Georgette walked gingerly down the dark, dusty corridor, hoping to run into Cid sometime soon. Her only light was a candle she had found before coming to the basement, and it didn't give her much light to see by. To calm her nerves, she recited her times table in her head.

_2x2 is 4, 2x3 is 6, 2x4 is 8... Where can that man be?! 2x5 is 10, 2x6 is 12..._

Something fell with a clang on the stone floor, making her jump with fright. The clang was followed by a bellow of pain and muttered cursing.

"Damnation! Damn wrench, I'm gonna...!"

Georgette felt her heart flutter with hope. "Cid? Is that you?"

The cursing stopped. "Georgette? What on earth are you dong down here?"

"Looking for you, you ungrateful oaf. Come on; I've got to get you out of here."

"Why?" Cid demanded, finally stepping into the candle light.

"Because Cecil's come back and he needs our help. Let's go!"

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"I say we chop we chop his head open and see what his brains look like!" Palom insisted as Cecil and Yang cleaned their blades of sticky purple blood.

"I say we don't," Cecil said firmly. "We've already made a big enough mess today as it is. It's all thanks to experience and good strategy that we beat the thing so quickly, and without any KO's."

"Aw man," Palom pouted. He trudged up the dias and plopped down in the throne defiantly.

"Once again, it seemed a little too easy," Tellah complained. "There's another shoe, just waiting to drop. Be on your toes; the three of you remembered what happened last time."

Cecil and the twins squirmed uncomfortably.

Someone banged on the door, which had fallen shut at some point during the fight.

"Hey! Hey!" someone shouted. The someone pushed the doors open and crashed into the room like a storm. He certainly looked like a storm, too: the man was huge, more muscular than Yang. His hair and beard were masses of wild tangles, so black they had a tint of blue, and he wore a pilot's cap and goggles over his eyes. Over his head, he swung a giant mallet. He was so frightening that the twins thought he was some god of war.

"Someone's getting a complementary face beating for locking me up in that sty!" the man bellowed. But he lowered his mallet and stared around confused.

"What 'n thunder happened in here?" he demanded.

"You missed all the action," Palom informed bluntly. "We beat him already."

"Beat who?" the man asked, sounding frustrated.

Cecil laughed. "Good ol' Cid."

The man stopped gazing around and stared hard at the paladin. "…_Cecil_?! What happened to you? You look so… shiny!"

"It's a long story," Cecil said for the fourth time since had arrived.

"Wait, wait, wait, _this_ crazy old man is Cid?" Tellah demanded, advancing on the engineer and sizing him up. Cid was a foot higher than the sage, but he didn't seem intimidated.

Cid snorted. "I could say the same of you, you old geezer; what are you, like, three times my age?"

"Now you wait one minute, you old windbag—"

"Stop it! Stop it right now!"

The two looked down to see Porom standing impatiently between them.

"This is a total waste of time for two grown men, and I'm not going to stand for it!" she informed angrily, breathing hard.

Cid seemed to soften. "And who's this noisy little lady? Awful loud for someone so small."

Porom reddened. "I'm sorry." She cleared her throat and nodded politely. "My name is Porom, and this is my uncle, Tellah."

"And I," Palom said, standing up on the throne and striking a pose, "am the amazing Palom Faraxhae of Mysidia!"

Porom groaned. "That _annoying_ little pill over there is my twin brother," she said.

"Porom and I are mage prodigies," Palom added, grinning.

"Please sit don't stand in chairs," Cecil requested. Palom pouted again and sank back down.

Yang came forward and bowed at the waist. "My name is Yang Fang Leiden. I am a monk from Fabul, and a friend of Cecil's; we fought together when Fabul was sacked a few weeks ago."

Cid looked Yang over, seeming impressed. "You're quite the mannerly fellow, huh?" Yang smiled in agreement.

"I take it then that Mrs. Farrell found you, then? She told us that she would look for you while we were talking with the king," Cecil reminded.

"That's right she did; she's waitin' in the front." Cid explained. "I told her to let me go first, since we all know that something fishy's been goin' on. I didn't want her to get hurt or anythin', you know."

"That's who we already beat," Palom informed, jumping down off the throne and running down the dias. "The king was really an elemental lord, and we took him out." He jerked a thumb at the monster's mangled corpse. "I still wish we could look at his brain…"

Cid's eyes grew so big that they almost showed over his goggles. "The king was a monster!?"

"No, no, no! That's not it at all," Cecil said, waving his wands rapidly, as if trying to dispel the confusion that Palom had caused. "The monster was _impersonating_ the king, and we killed it."

"Ooooh."

"Anyways, we need your help," Yang said. "Cecil and I have been trying to get here to find you since Fabul was attacked. Has Mrs. Farrell told you anything that has happened recently?"

"Uh, no. Why? What I miss?"

"Golbez kidnapped Rosa after the battle in Fabul," Yang informed.

Cid looked like he was going to emit lightning. "He _what_?!" He turned to Cecil and waved his mallet at him. "How could you let that happen, you stooge?!"

"I'm sorry," was all Cecil had to say.

"Oh, you're useless when it comes to that poor girl," Cid grumbled, lowering his mallet with a thump.

"If you'd stop storming about it," Tellah said shortly, "we need an airship to find where Golbez is keeping her."

"Oh, I see," Cid said mischievously. "You're in luck; a few days after Cecil disappeared, I finished the best airship in the Red Wings: _The Enterprise_. I wanted to finish fast, so I could go look for this wayward kid," he added, pointing at Cecil.

"Where is it?" Cecil asked eagerly.

Cid chuckled. "The last place _anyone_ would look. It's hidden, of course. Wouldn't want that maniac Golbez gettin' hold of it."

"So we're _really _going to fly on the airship now?" Porom asked, excitedly.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Palom added.

Cid laughed at their antics. "Excited much? Let's be getting' on then. Can't keep Rosa waitin' for someone to rescue her." He swung his mallet over his shoulder and headed back for the door. Something thumped into his leg and he looked down. It was Palom, punching his leg to get attention

"I don't think you're as scary as you look," the boy said stoutly. "You look really angry, with your wild hair and big hammer, but I think you're really nice. You sure seem to be; you really care about Rosa and her mom, huh."

Cid smiled. "And you're not as self-centered as you seemed to be at first; you're a pretty nice guy yourself, ain't ya?"

Palom smiled back with a childish giggle.

They walked through the doors into the hall; at the other end, Georgette waited in the doorway and waved happily to them.

As they walked into the hallway, they all felt something stir in the air; something sinister. An evil laugh echoed through the air.

"_Muahahahaha! You would-be heroes haven't won yet! Join Scarmiglione and myself, in the netherworld!_

The throne room doors swung shut on their own, causing everyone to jump. At the other doorway, Georgette tried to jump inside with them before she too was shut out, but moved too late; the double doors slammed in her face. Yang ran to the throne room doors and Cecil to the others, each tugging with all they had on the knobs.

"The doors locked!" Yang shouted.

"These doors too," Cecil shouted back. Someone banged hard on the doors, and he could hear Georgette's muffled voice on the other side.

"Guys! Guys, what's going on? The doors won't open!" she was shouting.

"We know," Cecil shouted back. "Try and find something to—"

He was cut off by violent trembling in the floor, and he gazed around looking for the source. With a twinge and a start of panic, he saw the walls were slowly moving closer and closer together.

"I knew it!" Tellah shouted. "I _knew_ there was one more catch!"

"I'm going to break down the door," Yang informed, and backed up for a running start. He charged at his door, expecting to crash right through, but landed so hard on the wood that he felt his ankle and shin begin to crack. He fell on his back with a cry of pain.

"Let me try," Cid offered, raising his mallet and charging as well. He rammed the door as hard as he could, but was sent spiraling back. Unfazed, he tried again, and again, all to no avail.

"The creature isn't letting us go without a fight," Tellah informed. "He's thought of everything. We're trapped."

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Oh… My… GOODNESS! This chapter wrapped up so quickly! The battle was done and Cid was free, and I hadn't even used up 7 pages! On the story, anyway.

And you all know what this cliff-hanger means…!

Oh God… On with the preview… T_T

_In the next chapter…_

_The doors are locked and magically fortified, and Tellah's magic can't seem to stop the compacting walls. There is one way to stop the walls, but will the twins be willing to sacrifice themselves to save their loved ones? Well, we all know the answer to _that_ one._

The twins looked each other in the eye, communicating silently once more.

_The Break spell,_ Palom said to his sister.

_How would that do any good?_ Porom argued by furrowing her brow.

_We could stop the walls if we cast it on ourselves,_ Palom explained, almost calmly.

Porom looked horrified. _That would kill us!_

_I know, but _someone_ has to rescue Rosa and save the world. Cecil at least has to get out of here._

_But… You're right. It may be the only way._

They nodded in agreement and ran to the walls, Palom on the left and Porom on the right.

_As soon as Mira gets her latest letter, she suspects the worst!_

The new letter was addressed differently than the ones she had received already, folded into a neat little square with all the corners joining in the middle instead of just folded in half. And the address was written in a curling, elaborate script.

_To Mrs. Mira Faraxhae, care of Yang Fang Leiden_, it read.

_And, just when it seemed that nothing worse could happen in Baron, Kain shows up with a delicate proposition!_

Cecil bristled as Kain walked across the flimsy bridge to meet him. His once friend seemed confident and proud. He also noted that Kain was carrying a silver-coated lance with a diamond blade and wondered if he planned on using it.

"We heard that you defeated Cagnazzo, the elemental lord of water," Kain said in a businesslike tone. "You're doing quite well for yourself these days; that concerns my master."

"Feh; some master," Cecil retorted.

"Lord Golbez has a deal for you," Kain informed. "You will go to Troia, the kingdom to the North-West, and retrieve the earth crystal for us."

"And why would I do that?" Cecil demanded.

"So that Rosa will stay alive long enough for you to rescue."

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break. (As short as we can hope, anyway…)_

_Brought to you in part by…_

"Angry Moms for President Tomorrow", or "AMPT"! If you're ready for your K-12 child to be treated like an infant every day, vote yes for the AMPT project in your next mid-term election! "AMPT: We treat all kids like the spoiled brats they probably are!"


	16. Woe to the Man

Chapter 15: Woe to the Man

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The six trapped friends all clustered together in the middle of the hall while Tellah cast his Stop spell.

"STOP!"

In the closed space, the spell didn't echo and the walls didn't stop advancing. Every second, the hallway was getting narrower and narrower.

"This _can't_ be the end," Yang insisted. "There _must_ be a way out of here."

The twins looked each other in the eye, communicating silently once more.

_The Break spell,_ Palom said to his sister.

_How would that do any good?_ Porom argued by furrowing her brow.

_We could stop the walls if we cast it on ourselves,_ Palom explained, almost calmly.

Porom looked horrified. _That would kill us!_

_I know, but _someone_ has to rescue Rosa and save the world. Cecil at least has to get out of here._

_But… You're right. It may be the only way._

They nodded in agreement and ran to the walls, Palom on the left and Porom on the right.

"Kids, what are you doing?" Tellah asked. "You can't hold the walls back."

They both turned to look back at their uncle, almost as if to say, "Oh yes we can." Porom tried to telepathically drill a message into his head: "It's okay. We're going to save you."

"Don't worry about us," Palom insisted. "We'll be okay; but all of you have to get out and save Rosa. She's counting on you."

"What are you doing?" Tellah demanded, now sounding more than a little worried.

Porom smiled sweetly, trying to hide how scared she was. She wasn't sure if her façade was working or not; she had never faced death so squarely in the eye, or so close. And this time, Cecil wouldn't be able o catch her; Tellah had no spells strong enough to revive her; there would be no benevolent white mage to heal her. She and her brother were done for, and they knew it.

"I'm so glad that we were able to meet you, uncle," she said shakily. "You've taught us so much. And, Cecil, thanks for looking out for us. It was like having an older brother"

"Wait," Cecil demanded, stepping forward. "Please tell us what you're doing!"

They ignored him and pressed their hands against the stone walls.

"You ready, sis?" Palom asked over his shoulder. He swallowed hard and blinked nervously.

Porom nodded hesitantly. "Yes. I'm ready."

They whispered the words to their newest spell:

"BREAK!"

The sphere of energy formed between them again, swirling and crackling like silver lightning. It dissolved into a ray of blinding white light that covered the whole room, so it was like a sheet of blank paper. The four men all shielded their eyes from the light.

They all opened their eyes a moment later to spots of purplish-orange light, fearful of what they would find when the spots cleared.

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Georgette wasn't sure why she bothered again, but she yanked at the doorknobs one last time. This time, to her utter relief, the knobs turned easily and she flew through the doors, ready to help her friends.

She stopped dead in her tracks. The twins were holding the walls back, but something was horribly wrong: they had been turned to stone statues. The four men behind them were staring, dumbfounded, at a loss for words or reaction.

Suddenly, Tellah animated and came forward. "What are we so upset for?" he asked. "They stopped the walls and broke the spell. Now I'll just restore them with my Esuna spell and we'll be on our way," he explained, though he sounded shaken as he recited the incantation.

"ESUNA!"

They all waited, but nothing happened. Tellah furrowed his brow, looking even more worried, and cracked his knuckles before reciting for a second time.

"ESUNA!"

Still, nothing happened. The twins remained statues.

Tellah screamed and threw his staff violently on the ground. "Why isn't it working?!" he demanded furiously.

"They did this on their own, didn't they," Georgette guessed, wiping a few tears off her cheek.

Tellah nodded and leaned heavily against the wall as if he had lost most of his strength.

The white mage sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "They can't be restored," she said, trying to compose herself. "They've done this of their own free will; unless you have a deep understanding of magic, you can't reverse it."

Tellah shook his head defiantly. "No... No! That cannot be! I can—"

"You can't!" Georgette yelled back. "It impossible!"

Tellah sank down to his knees and hid his face behind his own hands. "That can't be," he insisted. "They're my little sister's only children; they're my only niece and nephew! There _must _be a way to save them! This just can't be happening!"

Georgette stomped her foot angrily. "Yelling about it isn't going to solve anything!" she pointed out. "What are you going to do now, huh? Think about _that_ for a minute!"

"What _can_ I do about it?" Tellah demanded, ignoring her suggestion. "I can't just leave them here like this!" he pointed out.

"But the kid had a point," Cid said pointedly. "He said we still have to save Rosa; we can think about that. Isn't that what you came here for in the first place?"

"Tellah has a point as well; you can't really expect us to just _leave_ them like this," Yang added.

"What else can you do?" Georgette asked, rubbing her eyes. "I just told you. There's nothing that you can do; they're… gone." She felt horrible to have to be the bearer of this news, and she felt horrible for Tellah. If something like this had happened to Rosa, she would have died inside to not be able to help her. But still, something nagged at her that the sweet little children she had healed couldn't just be _gone_ like that; so long as someone was willing to try and help them, there could be a way. And Tellah certainly seemed convinced that he could find that way.

"Maybe…" she heard Cecil mutter. He seemed to brighten, but then he shook his head doubtfully and wilted again.

"Maybe what?" she asked. "Come on, tell me."

"It would get us all in a lot of trouble," Cecil answered sadly.

"Just tell me," Georgette demanded.

"I just remembered," Cecil explained, somewhat reluctantly, "something that the Elder of Mysidia told me. He told me that the Elder isn't allowed to have a wife or a husband, or children; the Elder needs to be free of ties like that so he or she can better serve the needs of the island and study more deeply than anyone else."

Georgette nodded. "That is true," she agreed, beginning to see where Cecil was headed with this.

"I just thought, since Tellah had a family, he wasn't able to continue learning, like his brother, so maybe there _is_ a way to revive them but he just doesn't know it. But perhaps Rai knows of a way."

Georgette listened carefully, even though she didn't understand the part about Tellah's brother right away.

_Tellah and the Mysidian Elder are related?_ She thought when the gears clicked in place. _Well, no matter. Cecil has an excellent point; the Elder may very well know a way to revive Palom and Porom. But then, if he does…_

"Why exactly would it get you all in trouble?" she asked. "It's a wonderful idea; I say we contact him right now and ask him."

"My sister would kill me," Tellah groaned. "What the hell would I say to her? I can't just write to her and tell her that her only children turned themselves to stone and that I can't save them."

There was a pause while everyone took this in. After a few seconds, Yang stepped forward.

"I will do it, then."

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Mira snapped to attention when she felt a tingly magical presence nearby. She jumped up from her chair, dropping her book on the floor as she dashed to the kitchen, where Tellah's letters tended to materialize. She couldn't wait to read the new letter; she was glad that Tellah was making a conscious effort to write to her and she was really starting to look forward to his letters. That aside, she was anxious to hear how their audience with the king of Baron had fared.

The new letter was addressed differently than the ones she had received already, folded into a neat little square with all the corners joining in the middle instead of just folded in half. And the address was written in a curling, elaborate script.

_To Mrs. Mira Faraxhae, care of Yang Fang Leiden_, it read.

Mira furrowed her brow, nervous about what this could mean. She unfolded the letter and read it slowly, talking in the flowing script:

_To Mrs. Mira Faraxhae,_

_It is with a heavy heart and under the most unfortunate of circumstances that I must write to you, and we all hope that you and your brother, Elder Raidon, will be able to help us._

_There is no easy way to say this, but it is all of our duties to inform you that Palom and Porom have turned themselves to stone, and that none of our magic can revive them._

At this point, Mira let out a scream of horror and anguish. She felt her world beginning to spin, and she collapsed, unconscious on the floor. The rest of the letter went something like this:

_This is news that no parent ought to receive, nor is it a message that I would wish on someone else to deliver. However, Elder Raidon may have a solution; his magic is far deeper and more powerful than Tellah's, and he may actually be able to bring them back to us. Mrs. Georgette Farrell, Baron's head white mage, invites you both to come and see to this whenever you are ready. She will be waiting to welcome you._

_In the meantime, we have been successful in finding Cid, the engineer that we have come to find. With his airship, _The Enterprise_, we will be able to find and rescue Rosa, at long last. _

_Your children gave themselves to save us, and, even if they have been lost to us forever, they will live on as heroes in our memories. We pray that your brother will be able to revive them, but now we must hurry on our mission, which is drawing quickly to a climax. We will be leaving in a few hours. If there is anything you might need to know, write to us on board _The Enterprise_._

_With most respect,_

_Yang Fang Leiden._

Someone opened the door to the house and stepped in, accompanied by a few other people who had heard Mira scream. They all gasped to find her on the floor.

"Quickly," said the man in the front. "Get her up and take her to bed. Someone run and tell Elder Rai; he'll need to know about this as soon as possible."

One young man, dressed in a white mage's robe, came forward and lifted Mira off the floor. He carried her into her bedroom while the other got themselves organized.

"I'll run to the tower," one hooded black mage offered. The others all nodded in agreement and he started for the door. He paused when something under his foot crackled; it sounded like a piece of parchment. He stepped to the side to look, and sure enough, there was the letter.

"What on earth is this?" the black mage wondered, stooping down to pick up the letter. He skimmed the print with his gleaming yellow eyes. He couldn't read the elaborate script so quickly, so he handed it to the leader to see. The leader took it and read it carefully, his brow knitting steadily into a frown of concern.

"I knew that dark knight was no good," he growled. "You had better take this with you," he said, handing the letter back to the black mage. "This time, he'll fix that no good murderer for sure."

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"It's a good thing that I hid _The Enterprise_ so well," Cid said soberly, flipping a switch on the wall that was supposed to lead to a store room. "If that monster had found it, there's no tellin' what he woulda' done with it. It's got more guns and missiles than any other ship in the Red Wings, and it can hold about 500 men at once," he explained.

"Sounds like it will come in handy," Cecil agreed as a hidden door somewhere rumbled open. He still didn't know where the door was; it was probably concealed behind the walls. In the distance, muffled by thick walls of stone, he could hear wood creaking, gears turning, and an engine roaring to life.

"Now what?" Yang asked, sounding fascinated in spite of all that had just happened. "How do we get to the ship if it's hidden behind walls?"

Cid held up a small rectangular contraption and grinned slyly. "With this thing. It's a controller; along with everything else, I've equipped it with autopilot, so I could bring it back if someone _did_ find it."

Tellah, who had been moody and quiet for the past several hours, nodded. "I've got to admit it: you certainly seem to know what you're doing."

"Thanks, old man," Cid said proudly, pressing some buttons on the controller. "The ship should be landing outside in a few minutes. Let's scram, already."

They all walked outside to find the massive ship settled neatly on the grass about a quarter of a mile away from the moat. The two guards currently at the post starred with wide eyes at the thing, paralyzed b its sudden appearance. Several people were crowded on the front wall, pointing and talking amazed to each other.

Yang's eyes were wide as well. "I've never seem a thing so big," he breathed, not quite believing what he was seeing. "And I though the other airships were big!"

"I'm already plannin' a bigger one, with more guns and more carrying capacity," Cid informed. "In a few years, I'll have made my own prize ship obsolete!" He laughed sarcastically.

"What does that accomplish?" Tellah asked. "Why make your own invention obsolete?"

"Dunno; why do _you_ bother learning Thundara if it'll just make Thunder obsolete?" Cid asked. Tellah got the message and let his eyes wander away.

As hey walked towards the ship, someone yelled to them from the wall:

"Hey! Cecil!"

They all turned back to look and saw Allun and Romelle waving at them wildly, trying to get their attention.

"We'll be waiting for you to get back!" Allun yelled.

"Yeah, we'll all be right here!" Romelle added needlessly. However pointless his comment was, it seemed to get the other people gathered on the wall revved up; they all began cheering for the party on the ground, wishing them luck and a safe return.

Cecil could have sworn that he heard someone say something about him being the king. He laughed softly to himself. _Me? The king? They must be kidding! Either that, or I'm hallucinating. _

He had to admit that it felt good to be back on an airship again; he hadn't been on one in months, and the last one he had seen had seen had been destroying Fabul. He had hated everything the Red Wings stood for for so long, he had forgotten how much fun they could be; he was actually excited about going. Surely, now that they had such a powerful ship, they would be able to find Rosa. His quest was finally coming to a head.

Still, he couldn't help but twinge at the fact that Palom and Porom wouldn't be coming with them. Half the excitement of getting here to find Cid and _The Enterprise_ was to see the looks on their faces as they zoomed through the sky, hundreds of feet above everything else.

_Why is it that every time I find a solution I have to lose something precious?_ He wondered. _It always seems like all the doors are open, and one really important door has to slam in my face before I can move forward. Losing all my friends in the shipwreck nearly broke me, and washing up in Mysidia was almost more than I could bear. But now, to lose Palom and Porom... I can only hope I don't have to lose Rosa _again_._

As Cid hit buttons and pulled levers and the ship rose up in the air, Tellah and Yang were shaken to the floor, unaccustomed to the rocking, while Cecil and Cid remained upright. Yang pulled himself up on the railing and managed to get on his feet again.

"What a ride," he muttered. He was silent for a moment. "Um, you guys, what's that?" he said, pointing away from the ship. Cecil turned to look and saw another airship flying towards them.

"It looks like an airship," Cid confirmed. "Actually, it looks like one of the Red Wings."

"Who else would have a ship like that?" Tellah wondered.

Cecil felt a shiver run down his spine. "Take a good guess."

_Kain's coming._

"Should we park it, retreat, or attack, captain?" Cid asked.

"Park it," Cecil answered. "I'll take care of this," he said, fingering the hilt of his sword.

_Of course this has something to do with Rosa,_ he thought. _She had better be alright. But, if she isn't, what am I going to do about?_

The smaller red ship pulled up beside the bigger blue-black one and also parked. Some soldiers brought over a long piece of plank board and extended it between the two ships. A strange and somehow sinisterly beautiful woman, dressed like a dancer, materialized behind them and shooed them all out of the way as Kain came forward in his dark dragon armor.

The woman scowled at the opposite passengers. "Don't you dare try anything funny, or I'll blow you lot out of the sky faster than you can blink," she threatened; he voice was smooth and willowy, like the whispering of the wind. Somehow, none of them had any trouble believing her.

"That's not necessary, Barbaricia," Kain informed, pacifying the woman.

Barbaricia demurely wound a lock of her wild hair around her finger. "I'm just looking out for you, sir Kain; it's my job," she said sweetly.

Cecil shivered again; that woman was trouble, and he didn't like the fact that Kain was with her. He had his fair share of ugly questions to ask him about where he had been and what he had been doing since Fabul, but he pushed them out of his head as he crossed the bridge to meet him.

_Come on, man, you're a paladin now. You've done a good job over the last few weeks; don't ruin it now_, he told himself, actually glad that the twins weren't here for this.

Cecil bristled as Kain walked across the flimsy bridge to meet him. His once friend seemed confident and proud. He also noted that Kain was carrying a silver-coated lance with a diamond blade and wondered if he planned on using it.

"We heard that you defeated Cagnazzo, the elemental lord of water," Kain said in a businesslike tone. "You're doing quite well for yourself these days; that concerns my master."

"Feh; some master," Cecil retorted.

"Lord Golbez has a deal for you," Kain informed. "You will go to Troia, the kingdom to the North-West, and retrieve the earth crystal for us."

"And why would I do that?" Cecil demanded.

"So that Rosa will stay alive long enough for you to rescue."

Cecil felt his heart, lungs, and stomach crowd into his throat. Surely this was some kind of awful joke; Golbez couldn't _really_ think that he would…

_Oh, who am I kidding; this is _Golbez_ we're talking about. Of course he would think of something twisted and awful like this. I can't just take Troia's crystal. But I can't just leave Rosa to die. But then, would Kain stand for it?_

"You wouldn't let anything happen to her," Cecil insisted.

"Give me one good reason," Kain answered bluntly, tapping his spear impatiently.

"Give me one good reason why."

"I don't care what happens to her," Kain informed. "I've moved on with my life. She's just a pawn in the grander scheme of things; all of you are. Technically, I'm a pawn myself. But, so long as I have to be no more than a humble pawn, I'd rather be moved by the winning team; I see no point in playing for a team that is going to move forward one inch to be pushed back two." He turned gracefully on the narrow plank, not losing his balance for one second.

Cecil was trembling, unable to believe that he had really just heard all that come out of Kain. The Kain he used to know...

"Wake up, Kain!" he yelled across the gap. "Can't you hear what you sound like? Don't you understand what you're doing?"

Kain looked over his shoulder with no emotion on his face. "I have nothing left to say to you," he informed, stepping back onto the deck of his own ship. He offered his arm to Barbaricia, who accepted and walked off with him. As the other ship pulled away, Cecil retreated back to _The Enterprise_.

_Great; what now?_

_The Enterprise _remained inpark as the other ship sailed away, and no one spoke for a long time.

"So, what did he say?" Yang asked after the tense silence had lingered for about five minutes.

"Golbez wants us to take the earth crystal from Troia," Cecil answered numbly.

"That dog," Cid muttered. "Why'd he think we'd do that?" he demanded.

"He wants to trade Rosa for the crystal," Cecil explained, sagging against the mast and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Tellah thumped is staff angrily on the deck. "This is totally unacceptable! How could he do something like this?" It was a stupid question, and he knew it, but everyone knew what he meant: the amount of malice and pure evil that Golbez operated with was, in a few words, utterly confounding.

"I'll bet you he wants to stall us with making up our minds enough to do something," Yang thought. "He knows that this will be a hard decision, and he'll make the most of it in every way that he can. I say we go to Troia, at least to throw him off the scent. We'll figure out what to do when we get there."

Cecil listened, still not sure if he was stable enough to make a good command decision yet. Yang made good points; maybe they should just head to Troia. Who knew? Maybe they would find where Golbez was hiding while they were at it.

"Cid, let's get to Troia."

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Sheila looked up from the potion she was brewing to see a letter materialize on the kitchen table. She turned the heat down, rubbed her eyes, red from crying after the last letter, and snatched up the new letter. This time, it was penned in Tellah's familiar hand. She tore it open, not caring if it was out of line, and began reading as fast as her tired eyes could register:

_To Mira and Rai,_

_Forget everything that Yang wrote to you a few hours ago. Stay in Mysidia until I tell you that it is safe. Something has arisen concerning Cecil's ex-friend, Kain Highwind, and a new branch of Golbez' plot. Traveling could be very dangerous, by air, sea, or Devil's Road. We'll be in Troia for a week or two. I'll explain everything to you when I get there; I don't have a lot of time right now. Just _please_ don't go to Baron yet._

_Your Brother, _

_Tellah._

Shelia ran out of the room to find Rai, who was already packing some of his things into a bag and preparing for a long trip. She found him in his private library, looking noisily through his books for the books he might need.

"Sir, this just arrived," she announced, handing him the letter. Rai took it and read it quickly. He winced.

"Mira isn't going to be pleased with this."

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Oh good God! How much can one poor paladin take at one blow?!

Man, this chapter was fun write! Sad and a bit heartbreaking, to say the least, but I sure had a blast writing it!

Well, I don't have much of a preview. The next chapter is just a little experiment that I've been planning since, like, the second chapter (back when I was rattling off, like, two chapters a day). And I don't want to tell you what it is, cuz it's a surprise!

I'll be back!

_Poof!_

(Transforms into a superhero, who's disguise is mainly pencil-themed, flies the five feet back to her computer and begins typing in a maniacal fashion.)


	17. Tellah's Letters to Mira

Chapter 16: Tellah's Letters to Mira

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The following are the letters that Tellah wrote to Mira while they were in Troia and in the Tower of Zot:

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_Dear Mira,_

_I really must apologize for not being able to write you the letter abut Palom and Porom myself. At the time, I was so shaken that I could barely see straight; even so, I feel like it was my responsibility to tell you, and I feel that I should have been strong enough to tell you. I'm grateful that Yang was noble enough to write for me; he's an incredibly noble soul._

_Now, about Troia. That traitor, Kain, came and made a deal with us. Golbez has offered to trade Rosa for the earth crystal. Now don't freak out yet; we're planning to protect the crystal for the time being. If _we_ don't get it, Golbez will probably come and get it himself and we can't allow that to happen. That aside, he could be hanging around that area and we might find him there. It will also provide us with a good place to plan how we will deal with this new problem._

_This is certainly turning out to be more complicated than we had expected. I'm beginning to fear for Cecil's health again; I don't know how much more stress he can take. An interesting turn, though: when we left Baron, someone on the wall yelled something about Cecil being the new king. (Oh yes; about that, an elemental lord called Cagnazzo has been posing as Odin of Baron for the past year or so, and the real king is most likely at rest now. This leaves the throne open for the taking, you see.)_

_We'll just have to see what awaits us in Troia. Remember, don't go to Baron yet; I know it must kill you, but it is simply a risk that isn't worth taking._

_Your Brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Dear Mira,_

_I'm in a tizzy! You won't believe who we've found here! That spoony prince who stole my Anna! He's alive, if not battered beyond repair, and here, in Troia!_

_Let me explain all this to you. We overheard one of the doctors mention his name, and at first we were unable to believe it; surely, with his ill constitution, he should have died in the shipwreck. In fact, he washed up unconscious on the Troian coast last week, with most of his bones broken, and they brought him back to the castle for treatment. He hasn't been awake for very long, only a few days the doctor said, and he's still very weak. However, the doctor also said that he will survive; whether he'll be able to travel or walk without a cane again is still to be determined._

_Cecil felt the need to ask about Rydia again, though I don't know why; the child is gone, and that's that. Of course, Edward didn't have any better news than Yang did, but Cecil still seems to believe that Rydia is alive somewhere. This is just the sort of thing that's going to eat his health before he realizes it, but he won't listen to me._

_Well, naturally Edward asked what brought us to Troia and we explained our latest stretch of the mission. He had more bad news to deliver to us: the earth crystal has already been stolen, by a dark elf residing to the north-east of the kingdom. This is probably why Golbez sent us to get it: he just didn't want to step off his pedestal to get it himself. Plus there's a chance that it will kill us._

_So now we have to figure out how to get there and get the crystal back. We_ did_ come to protect the thing, after all. We'll be in Troia for a while yet._

_Your Brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Dear Mira,_

_I have to tell you about this place. The whole kingdom is run by women; instead of a king they have a collective of eight women who rule together. The people believe that women are gentler rulers than men, and it certainly shows. Edward is going to be right at home here, if he isn't able to travel back to Damcyan to clean it up and take his place as the king. It is an excellent city, full of great artists and amazing thinkers. _

_Plus the women here are very strong warriors. They have men and women in their military, and I think it enhances the whole city. Cecil seems very fascinated by this; if he _does_ become the new king of Baron, I wouldn't be surprised if he opened the military to women. _

_There's also a chocobo forest to the east, where we can find black chocobos to take us to the dark elf's cave. Go and look at a map for this one: the sea to the west of the city is fed by a river that flows from the north. If you follow it to its source, you'll find a northern sea with a small inlet that feeds the river. In the inlet, there's a cave, and that is where the dark elf is hiding._

_We're going to spend the next day finding out what we'll need to take with us and stocking up on basic supplies. (Potions, tents, and the like.) You know where we are if you want to write before tomorrow afternoon, when we set out._

_Your Brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Dear Mira,_

_I just realized that I haven't really thought about Anna in a while. It's unfair of me not to think about her a lot; she's my whole reason for being. It's my need for vengeance which drives me so. But try telling that to Rai, who abhors revenge. Doesn't he feel any need for vengeance, after what happened to Palom and Porom? They, too, deserve to be avenged. And if it's up to me to do it, so be it._

_We're setting out for the dark elf's cave tomorrow. If you're going to write something, do it now._

_Your brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Tellah,_

_To answer your question about Rai, no, he feels no need for vengeance. The elemental lord is dead and gone, unable to hurt another person again, and the twins completely foiled his final plan, or so I understand. Both of us think that that was vengeance enough. (In a way, it's comforting to know that they gave themselves away and got the last laugh; neither of them has ever gotten the last laugh before.)_

_I showed your previous letter to Rai, and he could but laugh at you. You make yourself out to be some kind of crusader of lost souls. And I agree with him; if you only live to take out revenge on someone, your hate is going to eat you alive. Didn't you say, in a letter, that you're afraid that stress is going to kill Cecil if he takes anymore of it? Stress, hate, lust, whatever name you may call it, it does the same basic thing. I'd forgotten about your need for revenge and hadn't thought that you would take it upon yourself to avenge the twins. _Please_ be careful. If one of your comrades doesn't make it back form the cave, Rai and I expressly forbid you from avenging them too; don't you already have enough people on your list?_

_Mira._

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_Gee, thanks for showing that letter to Rai. (Said sarcastically.)_

_For one, I'm a lot older than Cecil is and can handle pressure like that with far more grace. For another thing, it doesn't matter if they got the last laugh because they aren't alive now to enjoy it. And lastly, I'm going to ignore you two and avenge whoever I want._

_Tellah. :p_

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_Dear Mira,_

_This will be my last letter for right now; we're departing in half an hour._

_You won't believe what Edward did. We went to say goodbye to him, and he handed us his harp. I told you that he had disguised himself as a minstrel, and that he played several instruments, yes? Well, he had managed to hold onto one and it washed up with him. He told us to bring it along, and that it might come in handy. We don't understand it, but we're taking it anyway; that kid is pretty full of surprises, himself._

_Oh, another thing we found out earlier. The dark elf has a magnetic field set up inside the cave. This means that Cecil can't use his sword, and Yang can't use the steel fighting claws he fights with. Luckily, Cid is a demon with giant hammers, and I still have a staff and my magic. But Cecil and Yang have been reduced to using bows and arrows; Yang is okay with his, but Cecil is hopeless. This is going to be an interesting fight, to say the very least._

_I'll try to write from within the cave._

_Your Brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Well, we're here._

_And what a here it is. This elf is clever; he has these eight-foot towers set up at regular intervals around each floor. All of the metal we have is drawn to these towers. The darned things keep stealing things like my glasses, Cid's dog- tags, our belts, what little metal armor we've risked taking, and Cecil's sword. (He insisted on bringing it, just incase we could figure out a way to get around the magnetic shield.)_

_We also found out that Cid has a prosthetic finger from a childhood injury. The bone of his left middle finger is made of a steel alloy, so he can't keep his left hand at his side. It's a bit comic, but he'd pound me if he knew I was poking fun at him. As loud and oafish as he is, Cid is a rather friendly man. If we ever come out of this, (the relay big mess, not just the cave) I hope that we can be better friends. _

_Cecil and Yang are still puzzling over Edward's harp. From the salt water, the paint is peeling and the wood is warping. The strings are still strong and tight, and miraculously tuned; they might be made of horsehair, for they _are_ turning a dingy green. I wonder what it's for?_

_We're getting closer to the dark elf; we can all feel it. I'm increasingly nervous about how the battle will fare. We weren't able to bring a lot of good armor; most of what we have is either wooden or leather. And then there's still the fact that Cecil is hopeless wit his bow and Yang isn't as good with his in the darkness. Granted there's still Cid's hammer and I have my magic, but it would have been a lot faster with metal weapons. I think we can still make it, but it could take a while. _

_Your Brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Dear Mira,_

_The battle is done, and we are on our way back to Troia!_

_Now then, let me tell you about our battle. It started out like a lot of other really hard battles we've faced in the past, with the villain rambling about how powerless we are against him. However, this time he was rather right: no metal weapons, remember? Well, yes he trashed us quickly. I distinctly remember him KOing me early on, because my magic was our most reliable resource, and then I don't remember much for several minutes. _

_Then, in the distance, we all heard this hauntingly beautiful harp-song playing. My first thought was Edward, but it was impossible; he was bedridden in a city more almost a day's flight away. And then, we all heard his voice calling to us, telling us to get up and fight, and that the song was disabling the magnetic field. It also seemed to be hurting the dark elf, who had his hands clapped over his ears and was screeching in pain. _

_Yes, Cecil and yang whipped out their sword and cat-claws and we all began pummeling the monster once again._

_In a last-ditch effort, I suppose, it transformed into a worm-like dragon. It didn't fare much better in its new form; we made short work of it, retrieved the crystal, and I teleported us out. We're now camped outside of the cave, resting from our adventure, and will be returning to Troia tomorrow morning._

_Your Brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Dear Mira,_

_We're on a new mission, one that promises to be even more interesting than the dark elf's cave. I'm writing to you form a safe spot inside the mysterious tower that Golbez addressed as Zot._

_We had very little time between our return to Troia and our latest race. Upon returning, we went to see Edward and ask about the stunt he managed to pull in the cave. The harp he had given us was magical, and he had played another harp from afar to affect the elf. As much as I hate to admit it, Edward is a rather clever and resourceful kid; I feel a little silly for resenting him so much._

_But, almost as soon as we had returned, Kain showed up again, demanding the crystal. We didn't want to give it up, having only required it yesterday, but the people begged us to hand it over lest he destroy the city. (After Mysidia, Damcyan and Fabul, I guess I don't really blame them; Troia is officially the only host to a crystal and lose it without being raided and destroyed.)_

_So we met with Kain again, and we gave him the crystal. As he had said, he would take us to the place where Golbez was keeping Rosa. The place has turned out to be a tower, hidden on a mountain in the sky: Zot tower. However, Kain had never said that it would be easy. Now we have to climb to the top and rescue Rosa before something happens to her._

_There are about ten or 12 levels, all patrolled by monsters. (Meant only to stall us.) We're traveling as fast as we can, but we're on floor seven and already tired. Cecil and yang maybe strong and fit, but Cid and I can't take much more pounding up stairs and blasting monsters. We're leaving the safe spot in a half an hour. Please, write to me in that time, if you can._

_Your Brother,_

_Tellah._

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_Tellah,_

_I'm on pins and needles; you're really going to rescue Rosa! I can't wait to see you all, and finally get to meet this enchanting young lady. Pace yourself; if it's Golbez you'll be facing, you'll be needing your strength._

_Speaking of which, I have two questions. One: when you encounter Golbez, do you intend on unleashing your revenge on him _now_? If so, _please_ reconsider! I have a bad feeling about this! Two: is it safe for Rai and I to head over to Baron yet? We're all packed, ready to go there on your signal._

_Good luck to you all. Give everyone a hug for me; especially Cecil._

_Mira._

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_To Mrs. Mira Faraxhae,_

_It is with an even heavier heart that I write to you once more, from Baron castle once again. So soon after losing the twins, it's my duty to inform you that your brother, Tellah, has been killed._

_The cloaked monster came to greet us. Tellah rushed forward and engaged him in battle. He was holding his own, and then he decided that the time had come to unveil his Meteor spell. (Which we all knew would probably kill him.) We all begged him to use a different spell, but he said no; he said that he would avenge all of the family he had lost to the monster, and that none of us were going to talk him out of it when he was so close to his goal. We were all crushed to be reduced so, but we were forced to stand by and watch him destroy himself, unable to stop him._

_The Meteor spell didn't even work the way it was supposed to. It fazed Golbez long enough for Tellah to give us his final words. Of course, he asked us to avenge him and the others; Cecil said yes, yes he would, but I don't know if he intends to go through with it. When he was a dark knight, it may have been his next priority. But now that he is a paladin, I don't think he has any interest in exacting revenge. Golbez must be stopped because he is _evil_, bottom line; revenge is just one of the many reasons that many people have for wishing him dead._

_Miraculously, something has happened to Kain, whom we had thought had betrayed us. Golbez has had him brainwashed for the past several months and he was powerless against his mind-control. It makes sense, I suppose; who in their right mind could have willingly joined that man? Back to his senses, Kain helped us rescue Rosa from a giant axe, rigged to fall on her if we walked into the room. She's with us now; our mission is finally complete._

_But enough about us. Before he died, Tellah left a message for you and Elder Raidon. He said that, if we rescued Rosa and got rid of Golbez, that it would be safe for you to come and revive the twins. Golbez is on his way to the underworld now; he's most certainly done with Baron for a while. Come as quickly as you are able! Bring back Palom and Porom!_

_With utmost respect,_

_Yang Fang Leiden._

Mira didn't faint as she read the letter this time, though she did read it through tears. First her husband, then her children, now her brother…

Tellah had thrown his life away; great, moody sage he was; and now he was gone forever.

But now that he had given his permission for them to leave, she and Rai would travel the Devil's Road to Baron, meet with the white mage Georgette Farrell, and revive the twins. They had had two weeks to prepare everything they needed; everything had been checked, packed, unpacked and double checked, and then packed again. The rite needed to revive someone who had willingly turned themselves to stone was tricky and time consuming; it may take several weeks, up to a few months, to get it to work properly. Mira didn't understand it as deeply as Rai, but she did know that it involved about 5000 dollars worth of gold needles and several pints of blood from two direct family members. Rai had said that blood from the mother and father was the most potent, but that his blood would still work.

Knowing all of that made Mira wilt, and she longed even more for her wayward Jackie to reappear on the shore.

She pushed all the sad thoughts out of her head, filling herself with conviction. She clutched the letter into a crumpled wad in her fist and ran out the door, headed for the tower.

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Oh, this has been an incredibly fun chapter to write! Please tell me if you like the way this was written; I've been planning this since August!

Now, how about some previews?

_In the next chapter…_

_Reunited with her mother at long last, will Rosa be able to say goodbye again to follow her beloved and her friends into the unknown of the Underworld?_

"Mama, I have to go with them," Rosa insisted.

"You only just got back!" Georgette protested. "Last time you left, you were supposed to come right back; you were gone for five months! I'm not losing you like that again!"

"I have to do this," Rosa repeated, beginning to wonder if she would be locked in another tower for this. "Without a strong white mage, how will they get by?"

_Mira and Rai arrive, at long last, in Baron, ready and raring to go!_

Mira wanted badly to shed at least one tear at the sight of her children, stone statues braced against the walls. She felt like she was going to cry, but she simply couldn't; she had already cried so much that her eyes were like sand.

Rai cleared his throat. "Help me get this cauldron set up," he said soberly, hauling the large iron pot into the musty hallway on its wheeled platform. "The sooner we set up, the sooner we get them back."

_And Rydia leads the party to a very important person, in the most unlikely place imaginable!_

"It's good to see you back, Rydi," the man called out from the gate, waving cheerily. "We were afraid you wouldn't be back for a good long time!"

Rydia laughed as she ran up to the man and gave him a friendly hug. While Rosa watched, looking very touched, Cecil and Yang could but stare at the man. If they didn't know any better, they would have said that he looked vaguely familiar. There as something about his little nose, his big smile, and the color of his hair that made him look a lot like…

Rydia turned back to the others, her arm still around her friend's shoulder. "Everyone," she said, "this is Jackie; he's one of my best friends."

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break! (Very short, I think!)_

_Brought to you in part by…_

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	18. On Our Ways

Chapter 17: On Our Way

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Rosa opened her eyes, not sure where she was. For the past few weeks, she had been locked in a dungeon somewhere in the Tower of Zot, praying that Cecil and his friends would come find her somehow.

Then she remembered that they _had_ come and found her. It had been early in the evening when they had reached the top, dark when they had freed her, and late at night when they had finally left the tower. She had recited her Teleport spell on the whole party and whisked them away from the tower and to the first place she thought of: Cecil's bedroom in the western tower of Baron castle.

There they had drilled all the juicy information out of herself and Kain until they knew for sure what Golbez was planning to do next. Without a doubt, now that he had all the crystals in the Overworld, he was headed for the Underworld to retrieve the dark crystals. What for, neither of them could say.

Once this was settled, Yang set about writing to the family of Tellah, the eccentric old sage that she had heard so much about from Cecil, Rydia, and Edward. Rosa stayed up with him, helping him write the letter and then sending it on its way with her Teleport spell. By the time this was done, it was almost two o'clock in the morning and she felt like she could sleep forever.

After a brief mention of the fact that there were five people and only one bed, the men all decided that Rosa should have it for so many reasons.

And this was where she woke up that next morning, her head on a soft pillow and buried beneath warm blankets against the chill of the late fall morning. She sat up, peering through the faint morning light, trying to identify each of her comrades asleep on pallets or in chairs. Draping the blanket around her shoulders and trying to ignore the icy cold of the stone floor, she slid out of bed and stood up. It occurred to her that she didn't know what time it was, or even the date. She walked silently over to the clock, which told both the date and the time. It read 7:45 on November 14.

_Cecil and Kain first left for Mist on June 18; I remember, _she thought. _Have we _really_ been away for so long? The last time we spoke, on the night of June 17, was in this room; the moon was full, and we were both afraid. We were right to be. _

She heard footsteps behind her and turned to look. While she hadn't been looking, Cecil had woken up and come to stand beside her.

"You seem troubled," he whispered; she guessed he didn't want to wake the others.

Rosa smiled tiredly, and wondered suddenly if she was dreaming. She hadn't seen him for so long; when last she thought about it, she had lost all hope that he would find her. She had even wondered if he was still trying to. He must have sensed her feelings, because he took hold of her hand and held it tightly.

"You don't need to worry anymore," he whispered. "Nothing is going to separate us again."

"Are you sure about that?" she whispered back teasingly.

"Positive."

Even though the possibility of capture or even death was cripplingly high for both of them, Rosa couldn't help but feel that Cecil was right. So long as he had a say in it, she would probably never get out of his sight again. And it didn't bother her at all.

The door suddenly burst open, waking all the others with a start and more than a few shouts of surprise. Kain was so startled that he toppled out of the desk chair he had fallen asleep in, and his armor (Most of which he hadn't bothered to remove) clattered noisily on the stone floor.

There in the doorway, regal as a queen and shocked as a lightning bolt, stood Georgette Farrell. She looked rightfully paralyzed, her mouth open to say something but her tongue unable to move. She had carried a candle to see in the dark of the tower staircase, but she dropped in onto the floor; if it had rolled to either side, it would have set either the hem of her long dress or the rug on the floor on fire. She didn't seem to notice as she stared from one party member to another, gazing the longest at her daughter.

As she looked around, unable to say much other than stare at them, Rosa could read what was going on in her mother's head just by looking at her: one, she had returned, and that was amazing all by itself. Two, most of the party that had left a week and a half earlier had materialized in the tower, which was also amazing by itself. Three, where was Tellah and why had the traitorous Kain returned in his place?

Everyone else seemed just as surprised and awkward at the mage's appearance. As soon as everyone had recovered from shock and realized that Georgette was there, they seemed unsure of what to do. Feeling that the task of breaking the uncomfortable silence rested mostly with her, Rosa waved weakly and tried to smile under her mother's penetrating gaze.

"...Hello, mama. How are you?"

_That was the dumbest question ever! Gone for five months, kidnapped for two of them, and all I can do is greet her as if I never left?!_

Georgette snapped out of her stupor and flew across the room to embrace her lost daughter.

"I was so scared!" Georgette sobbed into Rosa's shoulder.

"Mama, I can't breathe," Rosa said, though her voice was muffled a bit. "And I haven't had a chance to bathe in two weeks."

Georgette released Rosa and stepped back to examine her. Rosa hadn't thought much about it until just now, but her face was dirty and her hair was a mess. Her clothes her torn and smelled of damp and mildew. She also noticed that she had a few cuts and bruises on her legs and arms from a botched escape attempt a few days earlier. She felt slightly embarrassed to have been in the company of her friends in such a state for so long; she was glad they had been so understanding.

"You do look terrible," Georgette agreed, regaining some of her composure and wiping her eyes. She glanced around at the others and said, "You're all a mess as well; and starving, I shouldn't wonder. All of you come downstairs and get something to eat. I want to know everything that's happened."

_Oh boy. Here we go,_ Rosa thought, wondering where her mother expected them to start.

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Cecil felt a shiver run down his spine and he looked up at the nearby clock, which read 9:13. Even though he had eaten recently and had just finished his first real bath in half a week, he still didn't feel well rested. But with this icy sensation came a burst of energy that made him feel wide awake. He wondered where it had come from; neither Rosa nor Georgette was nearby to cast a Cure spell. Besides, he could feel a very strong presence, stronger then either of them. A presence that was comfortingly familiar.

_Could it be?_

Hoping that his friends wouldn't worry if they found him gone, he left the white magic lab and headed for the castle wall. He cast a nervous glance behind him before he walked out of the courtroom, at the door that led to the throne room. On the door was a wooden plaque inscribed with red letters:

_Access only to members of the Faraxhae family and white mages of the court. Thank you for your cooperation._

Knowing what lay beyond that door made Cecil want to cry again. He forced himself to turn back around and walk away.

Outside in the courtyard, it was peacefully quiet. The usual sounds of mallets against metal and birds chirping echoes like bells in the vast space. It was still cold; Cecil scolded himself for not remembering to bring a cloak or a jacket. The wind blew quickly past, shaking some of the few remaining leaves off the trees around. He looked around to see if anyone was there, but he seemed to be alone.

"Ahoy! Your majesty!"

Cecil looked up to see Allun standing on the wall, waving frantically at him. He waved back. "Hey, Allun. How are things lately?" he called back.

"A lot brighter since right now! I didn't know you got back! Did you and those guys finally rescue Rosa?"

"We did," Cecil answered.

Allun crowed victoriously and ran down the nearest staircase so fast that he nearly tripped several times.

"That's awesome, man! Now you'll have a queen!" Allun said as he skidded to a halt beside Cecil.

"I never said anything about being the king," Cecil pointed out. "Golbez isn't finished fighting yet; we don't even know if Odin is really dead." To this, Allun gave a 'Please get real' sort of look and Cecil had to agree that the chipper blonde guard was right.

Allun sobered suddenly and cleared his throat. "I, uh... Mrs. Farrell told us what happened in the hallway. You know, with those little kids and all."

"I had a feeling she would. Their mother and uncle are powerful mages; they're coming here to try and revive them."

"Really? 'Cause I just saw two strangers enter the gate a few minutes ago; one was an old guy with a beard and the other was a woman with brown hair. They were carrying all these books and magical-looking equipment with them on float spells."

Cecil's eyes went wide. "Was the woman wearing purple?"

"She was. Think they were the ones who are coming to revive the kids?"

"Without a doubt! Which way did they go?"

"I sent them to Mrs. Farrell," Allun answered. "She told us to send them to her when they got here."

Without bothering to say goodbye, Cecil dashed off toward Georgette's room, excited to see Rai and Mira again.

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"This must be the room," Rai said definitely, regarding the plaque on the door. It bore the name Georgette Farrell and her status in the court.

"So knock," Mira insisted.

"She's talking with someone. It could be important."

Mira sighed, exasperated with her brother and went to knock herself. She rapped sharply on the wood door and the conversation inside came to a stop. There were footsteps and then the doorknob turned. A young woman with wet blonde hair greeted them. Dressed in a bathrobe with a towel draped around her neck like a scarf, she looked slightly embarrassed to greet company in such a state.

"Good morning. Can I help you?" she asked sweetly, wiping away a drop of water from the side of her face with the corner of the towel.

The brother and sister looked at her quizzically. This woman couldn't be older than 25; wasn't Mrs. Farrell supposed to be much older?

"...Georgette Farrell?" Rai asked.

"No, no, I'm her daughter, Rosa. My mother is inside."

"Ah," Mira said understandingly. "I read in Yang's letter yesterday that they had finally rescued you. My name is Mira Faraxhae, and this is my brother, Elder Raidon Faraxhae," she introduced, extending her hand to Rosa.

Rai cleared his throat. "Just Rai, please."

"Oh," Rosa breathed. "Mama had mentioned that you would be here. Please, come in." She opened the door wide to let the mages inside. The room was fairly large, serving as a bedroom, study, and kitchen for the occupant. At the small table on the other side of the room was another older woman, who looked so much like Rosa that they could have been twins.

"Mama, the mages you had told me about have arrived," Rosa announced, gesturing to them. The other woman rose from the chair and smiled.

"It's a great honor to finally meet you," she said with a polite bow. "I'm Georgette Farrell; I've been expecting you for two and a half weeks, now." She turned to Mira and said gravely, "I understand that you are the twin's mother."

Mira replied with a stern, sad expression that was clearly meant to be a confirmation. She had been so excited to arrive at last, but now that she was here she felt withdrawn and nervous.

"I might understand how you feel," Georgette insisted. "When I found out that Rosa had been kidnapped, I thought I was going to die from worry." Rosa smiled comfortingly at her mother.

"The loss of a child is one that no parent should have to bear… alone," Mira agreed. "Happily, I see that Rosa was delivered back to you safely. We all had a good feeling that she would be; it was all that Cecil talked about while he was in Mysidia."

"It was a very close call," Rosa admitted, "but we survived; so will your children."

Mira was grateful that the Farrell's had so much faith in the mission; it was certainly more than many Mysidians had. She wondered if everyone that Cecil knew had faith in the impossible. It was a quality that most of them seemed to share. Whatever the task, no matter how difficult it seemed, they could do it when they pulled together.

Rosa had a wonderful point: against impossible odds, staring death in the face, the Farrell's had been reunited. She _would_ see Palom and Porom again. Soon.

"Where are they?" she asked, still nervous about facing her petrified children for the first time. "We're starting the rite today."

Georgette led them out into the main courtyard, nearly colliding with someone as she turned the corner. As the person leapt back in surprise, Mira was pleased to see that it was Cecil.

"You're running awfully fast for someone who just came back from the Tower of Zot," Georgette reprimanded. "What are you doing?"

"Don't yell at him," Rai insisted, laying a hand on Georgette's shoulder and moving her gently to one side. "I had a feeling he'd show up. How've you been, Cecil?"

"Since Mysidia?" Cecil asked, out of breath and trying to find words to answer. "It hasn't been easy. It's just not the same without one of you around; I've missed you all... When did you get here, anyway?"

"Just this morning," Mira answered.

"Yang just sent you a letter last night."

"We've been ready to go for almost half a month now," Rai explained. "Ever since we got the letter about the twins, we've been set to go at the signal."

"We were on our way there," Mira added.

Cecil looked around the group, onto which Rosa had also tacked herself. "Do you mind if I come with you?" he asked hesitantly. "I had wanted to go there myself—to see them—but it didn't seem right to go alone."

Everyone turned to look at Rai, who also looked over at Mira. As the mother of the patients, she had the final say in who could come and who could not. Though she was sort of glad that Cecil wanted to come. She understood what he meant. She would not have wanted to go into that awful place alone either.

"I feel that he should come with us," Mira insisted to her brother. Rai looked at her quizzically, amused. She knew why he made that face at her: not so long ago, she had wished every gruesome death known to man upon this paladin, and now she considered him a friend of the family. Nonetheless, Rai obviously agreed with her.

"Come on," he said, and the five of them were off.

Georgette brought them into a courtroom inside the main building with a wooden set of double doors in front of them. Tacked upon one door was a wooden sign painted with red letters:

_Access only to members of the Faraxhae family and white mages of the court. Thank you for your cooperation._

Georgette made a face. Rosa shivered and Cecil pulled her defensively close, as if protecting her from an unseen menace. Mira felt it too, something terrifying and electric in the air. This was the final threshold; she wondered if she had the nerve to cross it.

"I... don't know if I can go through those doors," she admitted.

"We're all beside you, sister," Rai reminded. "You're not going in alone."

Even though she knew her brother was right, she was still nervous as Cecil and Georgette pulled the doors open. As it was, the hallway beyond was dark and smelled of stale dust. The light that poured in seemed to permeate a darkness that had been there for several lonely years, like a hidden vault keeping a secret treasure safe.

And, of course, the treasure was revealed as the hallway was thoroughly illuminated: Palom and Porom, three and a half feet and 198 pounds a piece of gray stone, still holding the walls back, dead as stone for time being.

Mira wanted badly to shed at least one tear at the sight of her children, stone statues braced against the walls. She felt like she was going to cry, but she simply couldn't; she had already cried so much that her eyes were like sand.

Rai cleared his throat. "Help me get this cauldron set up," he said soberly, hauling the large iron pot into the musty hallway on its wheeled platform. "The sooner we set up, the sooner we get them back."

Cecil glanced back at the numerous pieces of heavy equipment they had hauled through the castle on Float spells. "Let us help you," he offered, helping Rai push the cauldron.

"Give me just one minute," Mira said quietly and retreated to the farthest wall away, which happened to have a set of stairs that led down to the black magic lab. Curious in spite of her grief, she walked down the stairs and into the deserted lab. She had to admit it was a comfort to be surrounded by the sense of magic once more. She casually picked up a textbook on the small refractory table in the center of the room and flipped to the table of contents. She could remember using this tome when she was about 10; her copy was old and worn with love and use, but she had always intended for Palom to use it when he was a little older.

Somewhere above her she heard voices mention her name and she shut the book, paying close attention to the conversation and not caring that she was eavesdropping.

"They seemed like such sweet children; the little girl, Porom, reminded me of you when you were that age."

"And how did Tellah tie into this again?"

"He was their uncle."

_That's Rosa and Georgette,_ Mira thought.

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"It's a shame," Rosa said slowly, feeling a sense of loss. "I've heard so much about Tellah from everyone else, and I never got a chance to meet him."

Georgette cleared her throat. "It's a terrible loss for us all, to say the least," she agreed. A silence passed between them. "But it's a blessing to have you back at long last," she said finally, hugging Rosa again.

_I don't like where this is going,_ Rosa thought nervously, returning the hug.

"Now then," her mother said, releasing her and regaining her dignified demeanor, "as soon as they finish setting up in there, we need to find out what they need us to do for them. Reviving someone from a voluntarily-petrified state can be done, but it takes patience and a lot of time. We need to help these people in every way that we can."

_I figured this would happen,_ Rosa thought sadly. _She thinks I'm planning to stay._

"Mama, I'm not staying," Rosa announced gently.

Georgette looked at her confused. "What do you mean you're not staying?"

"I mean that I'm not staying," Rosa repeated. "Cecil, Yang, Cid and Kain are all leaving to travel to the Underworld in a few days. And I'm going with them."

"When was this decided?" Georgette demanded.

"Last night, after we got back. Golbez is going to the Underworld to hunt down more crystals; we have to stop him."

"That's no place for you; you're staying here in Baron, where it's safe," Georgette said stubbornly.

_Oh dear. I didn't think this was going to be easy._

"Mama, I have to go with them," Rosa insisted.

"You only just got back!" Georgette protested. "Last time you left, you were supposed to come right back; you were gone for five months! I'm not losing you like that again!"

"I have to do this," Rosa repeated, beginning to wonder if she would be locked in another tower for this. "Without a strong white mage, how will they get by?"

"She has a valid point," added a voice nearby. The two turned to see Mira appear from the stairs that led to the black magic lab. "If what I know of her, from Cecil's stories, is all true," she continued, "her friends need her help. Rai and I can get on fine here without her help."

"Did you hear all of that?" Rosa asked, feeling blood rushing hot into her face.

"Most of it," Mira agreed. "And I agree with you; your friends need you more there than we need you here. You should go with them."

"But she—" Georgette started, but Mira stopped her.

"I know. You've been terrified about your child's state for a long time. It's hard to think about sometimes. But Rosa is a grown woman now, capable of making her own decisions. And she'll be with people who care for her very much."

Rosa sighed inwardly, glad that at least one person was on her side. Whether or not her mother would agree with Mira, she didn't know.

Georgette sighed. "She's right, Rosa: you are a grown-up now, and I can't tell you what to do anymore... The choice really is up to you, not me. Though I really hope you change your mind."

_Not a chance of that. I love you, Mama, but there's just no way I'm changing my mind. They need me where they're going. And anyways, I would follow Cecil to either moon and back. Maybe you don't understand it—maybe you'll never understand it—but I do love him that much._

She turned to Mira. "Is there anything I can do while I'm here?"

"You can get some rest," Mira informed understandingly. "You've had a rough few months."

Mira was absolutely right. After several months hiking across deserts and mountains and many weeks being trapped in a dungeon, Rosa still felt like someone had let an elephant step on her. Despite her fatigue, she wished that she could do something for Mira; if she hadn't stepped in, she might not have won this argument.

_I must think of a way to thank her. Mama's right about one thing: it's going to be dangerous. When we leave, we might never come back; I have to do something before we go. I wonder what…?_

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Several weeks had passed. It was now the middle of December, though the exact date was a mystery. The time wasn't certain either, in the dark Underworld, lit by the artificial sun the dwarves called Magma.

They had been intent on stopping Golbez before he could get to any of the dark crystals, but they were already late when they got there: the dwarf king informed them that he already had two of them.

That was when Yang had gotten the strangest feeling that they were being watched. He had felt it creep up his spine and make all his senses go acutely alert for the slightest sign of alien movement.

"You're imagining things," Kain had naively suggested.

Of course, Golbez showed up, with a small army of demonic little dolls. In the end, he had taken the crystal hidden in the castle, but not before being kicked around a good deal.

It wouldn't have been possible if Rydia hadn't shown up, totally out of the blue, summoning all kinds of strange creatures for help and flaying the worm-like dragon Golbez called up with her whip.

It took the better part of the night for Rydia to explain what had happened to her. "Leviathan, the king of the summons, attacked our ship to come and get me," she had said. "He took me to the Feymarch, the land where the summons reside, and they taught me everything they knew about summoning and black magic. I don't know any white magic now, but my summoning skills and black magic are stronger than I ever dreamed they could be."

"But you're so much older," Rosa pointed out. Rydia had been seven years old when she was taken; today, she looked only a little younger than the white mage.

"Time passes differently there; I'm almost 18."

Yang had also noticed with a twinge that Kain seemed unable to take his eyes off of her. Did the dragoon remember her at all? Even faintly? All grown up or no, Rydia was still a precious little gem and he would not allow Kain to hurt her.

_I still don't trust that man,_ Yang thought to himself.

Upon discussing their next move against Golbez and his minions, Rydia suggested that they travel back to the land that she had just come from, the land she called the Feymarch.

"I can ask king Leviathan and queen Asura if they will help us," she offered. "If they agree, they'll be two of the most powerful allies we could have."

It was agreed upon in a matter of minutes: as soon as they had the supplies they needed, they would set out for the Feymarch. The only person who disagreed with the plan was Kain.

"It could get very dangerous. And what if they refuse to help us? It will have been a complete waste of time," he had argued.

"You can always stay here while we go," Yang suggested dryly.

"What a great idea," Kain shot back.

And there they were, two days later, wandering around in the chasms and tunnels that led to the Feymarch, without Kain. On their own they would have gotten lost, but Rydia seemed to know exactly where she was and where she was going.

After navigating the tunnels for several hours, the party suddenly emerged into a large arena-like space where two monsters were battling each other. The monsters stopped their battle to stare at the party inquisitively, making most of the humans draw weapons or begin healing spells.

"Hi, guys," Rydia called to the monsters. "I'm back, and I brought some friends with me this time!"

"Well, fancy that," said one monster, a purple and red striped sandworm, in a female voice. "Didn't reckon to see you again, 'least not for a good long time. These the folks you keep talking about?"

"Uh-hu," Rydia agreed.

"On a mission, are we?" guessed the other monster, a male zu bird. "If we know you, you're always up to something or other."

"Yep, _big_ mission this time."

"Say hi to everyone," the sandworm reminded as Rydia led her friends toward thee exit.

"I will," Rydia called back.

"Don't mind the monsters," she cautioned her companions, who now found themselves surrounded by many of the monsters they were used to fighting. "All of these creatures are summons; a lot of them are friends of mine," she explained, waving to several people who called her name.

"Teehee; I'm famous!" she smiled to herself.

"Well, look who's back!" called yet another creature from nearby. This creature happened to look like a human, dressed in farmer's clothing, standing at the fence of a small house.

Rydia lit up and ran over to the fence with a squeal of delight.

"It's good to see you back, Rydi," the man called out from the gate, waving cheerily. "We were afraid you wouldn't be back for a good long time!"

Rydia laughed as she ran up to the man and gave him a friendly hug. While Rosa watched, looking very touched, Cecil and Yang could but stare at the man. If they didn't know any better, they would have said that he looked vaguely familiar. There as something about his little nose, his big smile, and the color of his hair that made him look a lot like…

Rydia turned back to the others, her arm still around her friend's shoulder. "Everyone," she said, "this is Jackie; he's one of my best friends."

This didn't mean anything to Yang, but it seemed to mean a lot to Cecil.

"Jackie _Faraxhae_?" the paladin asked.

Jackie tilted his head to one side. "Yeah, actually. How do you know that name?"

"I know Mira, and your children."

Jackie's brown eyes grew as big as plates. "You do?"

"They all think you're dead! What are you doing here?"

Yang began to realize what was going on. _This guy is Palom and Porom's father? What _is_ he doing here?_

"Maybe you'd all like to come inside for a bit?" Jackie suggested, gesturing toward the door to his house. "I want to hear everything!"

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AngelWings 008 guessed it! I've been saving Jackie for _just_ this moment for about two months now! I've been dying to get to this chapter so I could bring him into the story. I still think it's a shame that they never touched on Palom and Porom's parents in the game; those game programmers have to leave _all_ the fun stuff up to the fanfickers… but that's not _such_ a bad thing, huh?

A note about the chapters, my unofficial deadline is New Years Eve; I'd really like to get this story done over Christmas break. As far as my outline goes, there isn't much more to tell. However, due to chapter length, there may still be three or even four chapters to write. They won't be long, it's just that I want to elaborate on a few key points and it may take more than 8 pages to do so. Don't be intimidated; I won't pull anymore 14-pagers on you. XD

Also, I don't count my notes or previews as part of the story. Speaking of which, let's get those going, eh?

_In the next chapter…_

_Mira and Rai are having problems with their restoration rite, and the only one who can solve them is Jackie!_

"I had done my research," Rai insisted, pacing the floor. "The substitution should have been sufficient; I don't understand it…"

Mira felt despair wash over her. It had nothing to do with the concentration of genes in the blood, it was the principle of it. If the rite called for the blood of the mother _and_ the father, it meant the mother _and_ the father. Not the brother, not the uncle, not the grandfather, the real biological _father_.

But where were they to find it?

_But, now that Jackie is _finally_ coming home, that despair will be fairly short lived; Palom and Porom _will_ be revived!_

It felt like he was floating back into consciousness from the blackness of a dreamless sleep, returning to a cold shell. Colder than it should have been. Why was it all so dark and cold, even though he was waking up?

_What's going on?_ He felt himself think, though it felt strange, as if the concept of thought was foreign to him. Foreign but somehow comforting and fun. He began thinking all kinds of thoughts:

_Why is it so cold? What _is_ cold, anyway? And who am _I_? _

It was growing warm, at last. And his memories began returning as if they had been frozen in a glacier and were returning as the ice melted and flowed down into the ocean of his mind.

_Oh yeah…My name… it's Palom, isn't it? And I have a sister, don't I? A twin sister…? What was her name? It was like mine, wasn't it…? I think it was…_

_Porom! Where is she? She was right beside me! We were…_

He remembered everything.

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break! (Until Christmas break, anyway! _-.o

_Brought to you in part by…_

Randomness! The number one comic strip by DragonSapphira and Frieda Right, the fanfickers who brought you Across Two Worlds (Tamora Pierce fandom). Join the intrepid duo and their new friend Stuart, as they plot to take over Kingdom Hearts, Rin, and the Final fantasy worlds with their army of cake-clones! Don't miss Randomness, not coming soon to bookstores and black market manga dealers everywhere!


	19. Vivify

Chapter 18: Vivify

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Jackie sat quietly for a long time, trying not to ask questions, while Cecil and Yang explained how they knew his family, from when Cecil had ended up in Mysidia to late November when they had last seen Rai and Mira in Baron. It seemed like so much had happened, and only recently. He felt a horrible guilty feeling; even though he didn't know his children at all, he felt like he should have been there. Maybe they wouldn't be…

"He always said that he wasn't a summoned monster or a summoner," Rydia added, "but I was never really able to understand it. Guess I was pretty wrong, huh?"

"I'm still not exactly sure how I got here to begin with," Jackie said regretfully. "I was on a ship headed for Baron; I've always been more of a trader and businessman than a scholar. Then our ship was caught in a storm and completely destroyed. I remember falling into the water and blacking out. The next thing I remembered was waking up here, in this house, and I've been stuck here ever since."

"You never tried to get away?" Yang asked.

"Sure I tried. But my magic is terrible and I can't summon any of the friends I've made to help me. I can't get up the tower of Babil on my own either. Shoot, I can't get safely across the lava oceans without help. There's just been absolutely no way out. But believe me, I've been plotting for a long time; almost 20 years have gone by down here."

"And only six up there," Rosa added quietly. "Time certainly does pass differently here. Why haven't you aged as fast as Rydia?"

Jackie thought about this, not for the first time. He had noticed that he remained surprisingly young as the years passed, while Rydia continued to blossom like a flower.

"I'm... not sure. Maybe because I'm not a summoner?" he suggested with a shrug. "Say, you guys got down here somehow. Think you can take me back the way you came in? I don't know much about magic, but I don't think they can complete the rite and bring the children back to life without me."

Cecil tilted his head slightly. "Why's that?"

"Rites like this require blood, as a sign of self-sacrifice. And I'll bet that it requires the blood of the parents."

"They don't have both the parents," Yang said slowly, realizing the significance of Jackie's message. "They'll try to substitute Elder Rai's blood for yours..."

"It might not work. You need to get me to Baron as fast as you can."

Cecil nodded. "We can do that."

"When?" Rydia asked. "We still need the last dark crystal."

"We can send Kain with him," Yang suggested. "He's not interested in the mission; he'll be happy to get away."

"Good idea," Cecil agreed carefully. "Let's finish up here and then get back out."

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Rai stood menacingly over the cast iron cauldron, mumbling the incantation in the book over the self-simmering mixture in it. Mira stood by, nursing her slit palm. Of course, a restoration rite of this magnitude required a lot of blood on the part of the parents. However, in absents of the father, Rai stood in Jackie's place.

"I don't think this will work," Mira said slowly as Rai waited for the concoction to do something.

"Of course this will work," Rai insisted. "We've done exactly what the book said."

"Not _exactly_."

Ra sighed, exasperated. "I know it called for the father's blood, but I'm just as much a part of them as Jackie was—"

"_Is_."

"Mira, it'll work. Trust me."

Mira doubted it would work. And sure enough, nothing happened. They waited for several minutes before Rai checked nervously over the book, repeated the incantation, and waited some more. He did this four times before making an annoyed noise.

"I had done my research," Rai insisted, pacing the floor. "The substitution should have been sufficient; I don't understand it…"

Mira felt despair wash over her. It had nothing to do with the concentration of genes in the blood; it was the principle of it. If the rite called for the blood of the mother _and_ the father, it meant the mother _and_ the father. Not the brother, not the uncle, not the grandfather, the real biological _father_.

But where were they to find it?

"Why won't it work?" Rai demanded quietly.

"Because you've abandoned the whole point of the blood sacrifice," Mira answered. "We may have raised the twins, but we're still only half of what they are."

"Where do you intend to find the other half, Mira? Jackie's gone, his parents are dead, and he had no siblings. I'm all we've got. I can make it work."

"You've been trying for two and a half months, nonstop, since we got here. We've both given so much blood to this thing, I think I might faint. And Jackie _is_ alive."

"Then why hasn't he come back yet?" Rai demanded, raising his voice.

There was a knock on the door and Georgette stuck her head in the room, trying to look straight at Mira and not at the statues.

"Um, Mira? Something strange has happened. Kain's returned, and he has someone with him asking to see you. He said that his name is Jackie; does this mean anything to you?"

Mira couldn't believe what she had just heard. Georgette must be pulling a prank on her or something. Jackie couldn't have just reappeared out of the blue!

Or... could he?

She ran wordlessly past Georgette and out the door into the courtyard. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself against the late January chill. Snow had fallen early in the month, and replenished itself on a daily basis. Every day, Cid's drones, a pair of doltish red-headed brothers, cleared the snow out of the walkways to be melted and used for cooking and cleaning before they resumed the work their boss had left for them. Something about steel plating and extra guns or something like that, she thought.

Near the gate, two men stood solid against the cold in thick warm jackets. The taller one was definitely Kain, wearing his jacket over his shiny dark purple armor, with his helmet defensively masking his face. The other was dressed mainly in brown and white: brown pants, brown boots, brown jacket over a brown vest and white shirt. His brown hair was shaggy but neat and reached his shoulders, and his intense brown eyes shown out against his light complexion.

The next thing she noticed about him was that, up close, he looked enough like Porom to send another shiver down her spine. It really _was_ Jackie!

_There really is light at the end of the darkness,_ she thought, feeling dizzy and faint, _for those who have faith._

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If he could have described it, he would have said that it was like floating in an empty, eternal, never-ending space which kept a constant temperature of 78 degrees. If he could have spoken or remembered words, he would have said that it was like standing in an open field, or on the shore of the ocean, on a sunny, breezy day in early summer or mid-autumn with his eyes closed.

It remained this way for an indefinite period of time; he had no concept of time. In fact, he no concept of anything. Then, all of a sudden, it felt like a rope was lassoed around him and was dragging him down out of the empty space he had been floating in. It felt like he was floating back into consciousness from the blackness of a dreamless sleep, returning to a cold shell. Colder than it should have been. Why was it all so dark and cold, even though he was waking up?

_What's going on?_ He felt himself think, though it felt strange, as if the concept of thought was foreign to him. Foreign but somehow comforting and fun. He began thinking all kinds of thoughts:

_Why is it so cold? What _is_ cold, anyway? And who am _I_? _

It was growing warm, at last. And his memories began returning as if they had been frozen in a glacier and were returning as the ice melted and flowed down into the ocean of his mind.

_Oh yeah…My name… it's Palom, isn't it? And I have a sister, don't I? A twin sister…? What was her name? It was like mine, wasn't it…? I think it was…_

_Porom! Where is she? She was right beside me! We were…_

He remembered everything. Everything that had happened to him since a few weeks after he was born came crashing into his skull, like having freezing water dumped suddenly on his head. The last thing he remembered was Porom agreeing that she was ready to cast her half of the Twin Cast, and then the spell, and then his limbs going cold and numb, and then the whole world had gone dark… until now.

_Maybe that wasn't the best idea in the world,_ he thought, feeling disturbingly normal. It felt like he had only just woken up from a long dreamless nap, perhaps after being beaten up by some middle school kids. All his joints felt stiff and sore, and his head was throbbing with a headache. Through the aches and pains all over his body and the pounding in his head, he heard someone calling his name; it sounded far off, like an echo. He wanted to open his eyes and look, but his eyelids refused to comply.

He suddenly felt himself falling backwards and tried to catch himself, but his body refused to do anything he told it to. He was terrified for a minute that he would hit his head on the stone floor of the hallway and lose consciousness again, but he fell into something soft and warm; it felt like skin and soft woolen fabric wrapping around him.

"Palom, can you open your eyes?"

It sounded like Rai's voice, and he wanted to yell his name, but once again his body failed him. He put all his strength into forcing his eyes open. He finally succeeded in opening his eyes enough to see the faces of his mother and uncle above him, as well as a stranger that he didn't recognize. But he didn't see Porom anywhere, and it worried him. As ashamed as he was to admit it, the only person he really wanted right now was his sister; if only to see that she was also okay. He struggled to speak a few words with his reluctant tongue.

"Ssssisssster…" he whispered. He wished that he could pull himself together enough to say some, but it wasn't working. As well rested as he was, he realized that he still felt like someone had beaten him up. He couldn't keep his eyes open much longer either. In fact, he felt like he could take a long nap and not wake up for a few weeks.

"He has a good point," Rai agreed, disappearing from view. "Take him down to the infirmary while I get started on Porom's treatment."

"I'll stay here with you, Rai," the stranger offered, also disappearing to join Rai across the room.

"Nonsense. You stay with your son, Jackie. I'll rejoin you with Porom in a little while, but you all go on."

Palom wasn't sure what that meant, and he didn't get to think much about it. His eyes fell shut again and he was dreaming.

When he came to again, he felt so much better that he wanted to jump up and run around. He even found that he could open his eyes without trouble now. He was in a bed, under a white blanket. And beside him, to his utter joy, was his little sister.

_Good; she's alright. I would have thrown myself off a bridge if she had died. Well, maybe not a bridge…_

He pushed himself up a little and looked around. The standing clock on the other side of the room read 12:34 in the afternoon. He didn't see anyone else in the room, and he felt like getting up to look for Mira and Rai. He also wanted to speak to that other guy that he hadn't recognized.

_Didn't uncle Rai say that his name was Jackie?_ He remembered. Before, he had been too exhausted to think much about it, but wasn't that the name of his long-lost dad? And now that he thought about it, Porom would have looked a lot like that guy if she were grown up.

Porom stirred suddenly, and Palom got back down and pretended to be asleep as well, though he watched her with one eye slightly open. She slowly opened her eyes and stared at him softly for a moment.

"I know you're watching me," she whispered.

Palom opened his eyes and smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry," he whispered back.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. We were stone, because of the Break spell—"

"I remember," she agreed. "But how did we wake up? The magic that cured us must have been _really_ strong."

"Did you see that guy?"

"What guy? There was only uncle Rai."

"There was a guy there when I was cured. I didn't see him too good, but he looked sort of like you. And uncle Rai called him Jackie. I think he might be… dad."

Porom furrowed her brow. "How's that possible?"

"I'm not sure…"

Palom felt his sister take his hand underneath the blanket. Her hand was clammy and lukewarm, but still comforting.

"Did we do the right thing?" she wondered.

"I hope so."

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Three days passed and the twins remained reluctantly in bed. Porom could tell that it annoyed her brother to no end, and it made her antsy too. She felt recovered enough to run around, fight monsters and cast spells, just like before. Despite their protests, Mira, Rai, and Georgette insisted that they stay in bed and continue to heal.

To their confusion, the stranger, despite his seeming curiosity, remained distant from their room. Once or twice he appeared at the door to ask if he could help somehow, and Porom had caught him watching them late at night as they slept. As soon as she had sat up and addressed him, he vanished into the darkness.

"Think he's shy?" Palom asked her.

"Why would he be shy? He's our dad. I wish he would come and talk to us," she lamented.

"What would we talk about? He's been gone for six years, and we've never even met him."

"I want to know where he's been and how he got back."

Palom sighed and leaned back into his pillow. "I've always wanted a dad," he said. "I've always wondered what it's like; now I've got one and I'm not sure what to do. I never planned for what to do _after_ he got here. I... didn't really think that he was still alive."

"Neither did I."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and during that time, Porom kept thinking that she was forgetting something important. She scrolled through her memories, trying to remember, but the last thing she could remember was casting the Break spell and thinking that she was never going to see Cecil or Tellah or Yang ever—

"Oh my gosh! What happened to the others?" she shouted. "We never found out if they're okay!"

"You're right," Palom agreed, sitting back up. "And what about Rosa? Do you think Cecil found her yet? Oh, I hope they're all okay..."

"Trust me, they're all fine," informed a voice from the doorway. They both turned to look and saw the stranger, Jackie, standing there, leaning against the doorpost. He slowly walked into the room and stood beside the bed.

"I saw them just two weeks ago. Cecil and his friends were the ones who found me and got me back here."

Porom felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders, and she and Palom sighed in unison.

"Did they save Rosa yet?" Palom asked.

Jackie grinned. "They sure did. She was there."

They all remained in awkward, gratified silence for a moment, and then Jackie cleared his throat.

"Um, I haven't introduced myself yet; I guess that was kinda silly of me," he said with a nervous laugh. "My name is Jackie Ross."

"Hi. I'm Palom Faraxhae, and this is my twin sister, Porom."

"Hi," Porom said shyly. "So, I guess that our last name is Ross now, huh? Now that you're back and all."

"Well, yes," Jackie agreed. "Your mother and uncle told me that you're both very smart. They told me that you're prodigies."

Porom waited for her brother to say something vain, but all he said was, "Yeah; we're pretty good, I guess."

"You're both six now, right?"

"Yes, we turned six back in September. What month is it now, again?"

"It's late February, about ten days before March," Jackie informed. "You petrified yourselves in late October and stayed that way until three days ago, almost exactly five months. Sorry it took so long for the rite to work properly; your uncle convinced himself that he could substitute his blood for mine, and then when I arrived the rite finally began working correctly. Even so, it refused to cooperate for another month and a half."

The twins were awestruck; petrified in October, revived just before March? That's a long time to be under hibernation.

"I had been trapped in the Feymarch, the home of the summoned monsters in the Underworld, unable to escape on my own. Cecil and his friends found me there and sent me back here with their dragoon friend, Kain."

"The Feymarch..." Palom said quietly. "Wasn't that little girl Rydia a summoner? The one who was lost in the shipwreck?"

Jackie laughed. "Oh, she's alive," he informed. "And with Cecil right now. She's the one who led them there, to ask for king Leviathan and queen Asura's help."

The twins gasped with delight. "She's really alive?" Porom cried. "Will we actually get to meet her? Cecil said that she's only a year older than us."

"Oh, she's much older now; time passes differently there, so she grew up while the rest of us didn't. She's 17 now."

"Whoa... That's so cool! Maybe I should hang out there for a while," Palom thought out loud.

"You saw them only two weeks ago," Porom said. "How are they all?"

"Doing very well. Although, Cecil still seemed depressed about October. In fact, they came here several weeks ago on an errand. They had their airship upgraded by those red-heads in the ship yard, but then they left urgently."

"What about uncle Tellah? How did he take it?" Palom asked.

"Oh......" Jackie said slowly, rubbing his neck. "About him..."

"Did something happen... dad?" Palom asked nervously.

"Kids, Tellah... died in November. He casted the Meteor spell, and it killed him."

"No!" they cried together.

"He knew it would kill him! Why did he do that?" Porom demanded, feeling not only devastated to have lost her uncle, but angry at him for being so foolish.

"He wanted revenge on Golbez. From what I understand, he craved it for quite some time. I know that you both were very close to him; he was an old friend of mine. I wish I could have gotten the chance to apologize to him."

"What for?" Porom asked.

"I did something horrible to him a long time ago. It hurt him enough to drive him out of Mysidia, and we never heard from again after that. I never got to say that I was sorry."

"That was when you told everyone that he and Sammy had cheated in the tournament," Palom guessed.

"Yes," Jackie agreed. "I've spent many years, both in the Overworld and Underworld, regretting what I did. He probably died thinking of me as a traitor. They told you the story?"

"Hey, for kids, we know a lot," Palom insisted, grinning impishly.

"I can tell. You're both awesome kids, and I'm so sorry that I haven't been here for either of you. Even though we don't know each other very much, I hope that we can start now. There's nothing I want more in the entire world than to finally get to be your father."

The twins both smiled.

"We can't wait," Palom said decisively.

"We want you to be our dad too," Porom agreed.

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Another month passed, and it was April. Everything was growing, from grass, moss, and weeds to flowers, trees, and produce of various kinds. There was color around Baron like the twins had never seen before: in place of the bright tropical colors of Mysidia, there were soft, pastel-colored flowers blossoming against backgrounds of lighter green trees and grass.

Porom had invented a new game based on a lively cherry tree on the other side of the castle wall. The tree was so large and had such long branches that it spilled over the wall, and the wind blew the pink-white flower petals off the tree whenever it blew. The object of Porom's game was to stand beneath the cherry tree and catch as many petal as you could without leaving the shade of the tree. When the wind was strong and blowing high above her head, the game could become tricky indeed.

It so happened that she was playing this very game, on one of the rare occasions that Palom decided to join her, when Rai approached them looking stern.

"You two had better come on in; something strange has happened."

Used to strange things happening, they both followed Rai into the castle, where they joined Mira, Jackie, and Georgette in the white magic lab.

"Here we are; what's going on?" Palom asked.

"I've been keeping an eye on Cecil and company with this seeing-stone," Georgette said, indicating the large sphere of black onyx supported on a special stand.

"You've showed us how you use it before," Porom agreed." Have you seen something? Is someone else hurt?"

"Not since Yang and Cid," Georgette informed.

The twins sighed with relief; when Georgette had told them that Yang and Cid had sacrificed themselves to help the others escape, they had been crushed. But when both of them had turned up again in different parts of the Underworld a few weeks after their revival, they had been so relieved that they had been dizzy.

"However, Cecil and his friends are on their way back to Mysidia now. They've been successful in drilling out of the Underworld, and now they're on their way to talk to you about a new ship," Georgette said to Rai.

"_Me_? I don't have another ship to give them," Rai pointed out.

"They've found out about the _Whale_," Georgette informed.

Rai seemed to realize what she meant. "Ooooh..."

"They're figuring out the prophecy on his sword," Mira added, sounding awestruck.

"They are? Great!" Palom said sounding pleased. "Um, wait... what prophecy?"

"There's an inscription on the flat of Cecil's sword," Rai explained. "It's an old Mysidian poem, and I think that you may recognize it. It goes like this:"

_On born of a dragon, bearing darkness and light, shall rise to the heavens over the still land. The moon's eternal light brings a promise to earth, with beauty and grace._

"We _do_ know that poem," Porom agreed.

"Mom made up a tune for it and used to sing us to sleep with it every night," Palom added.

"It's an old prophecy, and it's lost some of its meaning over the years; it's been drilled into our people for long, it's more like habitual repetition. We've waiting for the prophecy to come true that no one's really thought about the meaning in several hundred years," Mira explained.

"However, when it showed up on Cecil's sword when he returned from the mountain, we all couldn't help but wonder if it meant something," Rai added.

"There was more to that legend, right?" Jackie asked. "It had something to do with the _Lunar Whale_, didn't it?"

"Yes..." Rai said slowly, lost in thought. "I ought to get back to Mysidia and meet them."

"That's a good idea," Mira greed. "Take Devil's Road. The four of us will get everything to gather and meet you there in a few days. Maybe we can even be there in time to see everyone again."

"Excellent. I'm off then," Rai said and dashed out of the room.

The twins looked at each other, excited about everything that had just happened.

_We'll get to see them all again!_ Palom said silently.

_They'll all be so happy! And we'll finally get to meet Rosa and Rydia! Let's get packed quickly, so we can go!_ Porom suggested.

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Oh... sweet! It's finally Christmas break, and there are only three chapters left! I'm gonna make my deadline with time to spare! XD

How's about some previews?

_In the next chapter..._

_The Giant of Babil has awoken, and Cecil and company are off to fight it. But they can't do it alone! It's time to rendezvous and fight the monster, and time for Palom and Porom to fly for the very first time!_

Even from a distance, it was great to see Cecil again; at least he was alive. They didn't recognize anyone else in the large window of the _Whale_, though. There were two women in the window, one of whom had blonde hair, and the other of whom had wild green hair. They knew instantly that the blonde woman must be Rosa, and they wondered briefly if the green-haired woman was Rydia.

Apparently, the giant window was open, because they both heard Cecil yell their names. Their hearts jumped into their mouths; he saw them!

"Cecil, Cecil! Look! They finally revived us!" Palom yelled back, hoping his voice would carry across the distance.

"We're gonna help you beat that monster!" Porom added "Just like before! We're gonna do it together!"

_With the Giant defeated and Golbez brought to his senses, it's time to take a well deserved break, reunite with old acquaintances, and meet some new allies._

"I've heard a lot about you," the green-hair woman said good naturedly. "You're Palom and Porom, yes?" she asked, pointing to each of them in turn.

"Yep; that's us," Palom agreed. "You're... you're Rydia, right?"

"Summoner extraordinaire, that's me," she said with a grin. "I've been waiting a long time to get to meet you two."

"So have we," Porom said shyly.

"Yeah.... You're a lot older than we thought you'd be," Palom added.

_But Cecil's battle isn't over yet! And this time, there's nothing that the twins will be able to do for him!_

"All we can do this time is...pray, I guess," Palom said, once again remaining as calm as he could.

Porom stomped her foot angrily. "No! We can help him more than that!"

"He told us to stay here. It's not we were the only ones we won't take with him," he pointed out.

"It bugs us too," someone behind him said. He turned to look and saw Rosa and Rydia standing over him.

"If Cecil thinks he can beat Zemus with only Edge and Kain, he's dead wrong," Rydia said stoutly.

"Oh," Palom said, noting the full backpacks both woman had slung over their shoulders. He rested his hands casually on the back of his head and grinned mischievously. "Sneaking off, huh?"

"Stowing away in the cargo hold, to be exact," Rosa added. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Sure thing, Rosa."

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this _very_ short break!_

_Brought to you in pat by..._

Final Fantasy XVIII, the 18th installment of the extensive Final Fantasy series! Relive the excitement of the classic RPG gameplay as ever before, with bold new graphics, new weapons and armor, and 400 new monsters to slay! Not coming in fall of 2010!


	20. Time to Dance

Chapter 19: Time to Dance

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"Hey, look at this!" yelled one of the red-headed airship workers as he burst into the dinning room one evening in late April. He was waving a letter over his head excitedly. "This just appeared—poof!—on my brother's desk! I think it's from your brother, lady," he said, handing the letter to Mira.

"Thank you," Mira said calmly as she took the letter and noticed with a visible twinge that the letter had already been opened and had oily fingerprints in the margins. "Did one of you already read this?" she demanded.

"My brother did, lady," the man admitted. "I told him not to, but he didn't listen to me. Want me to go hit him for you?"

"No, that's okay," Mira insisted and opened the letter. She read in silence for a few minutes, her face animating in different ways as she read.

"Honey, what's the matter?" Jackie asked. "Has something happened?"

"Something indeed; something _not_ good," Mira answered, not looking up from the paper.

"Does it have anything to do with Cecil?" Porom asked from across the table.

"It's mostly to do with him and his friends," Mira answered. "Rai brought up _The Lunar Whale _for them and they took off to the moon."

"We know that already," Palom pointed out impatiently. "He wrote us a letter about it weeks ago. What happened?"

"Don't speak to your mother like that," Jackie warned. "Go on, Mira."

"Well, they went up to the moon and have stayed there since April fourth, remember? Well, they're on their way back here, and they've brought something dangerous with them."

"What?" the twins asked in unison.

"Rai thinks it might be… a Lunarian."

Jackie tilted his head to one side. "A _Lunarian_? I thought they were a dead race."

"So did I… They've also woken up something that was supposed to be in hibernation. Some dangerous creature that Rai can't name yet. But there's something strange going on in the area surrounding the tower of Babil. He says it may take more than Cecil and company has. We might need to help him."

Palom jumped up on his chair so that everyone could see him. "Yeah! We can do that! We're, like, super good at helping him, aren't we, Porom."

"Please sit in the chair," was Porom's answer. Her brother wilted, sad that no one had cheered for him, and sat back down.

"Babil Tower… I could have gotten back up here from the Underworld if I had had the resources," Jackie mentioned regretfully. "What exactly is going on?"

"There's a monster hidden there," Mira answered. "And it looks like it's coming to life. If it is allowed to roam free, the thing they've awoken on the moon will take control of it and raze the Overworld."

"Raze? What's that mean?" Palom asked.

"It means that it will destroy everything," Jackie explained grimly. "Rai's right; we need to get there and help. It won't be easy if we're alone, though."

"We won't be alone. He's sending for help from all across the world. Cecil's been all over the place, and he knows _everyone_. They'll all be flocking to Babil to help."

"But how are we going to get there?" Porom asked. "We can't walk; it's too far away."

"You'll have to fly!" answered the red-head, who was standing forgotten by Mira's chair. "Big brother and I are getting an airship ready for you. You can take off in the morning!"

Mira gave him a "you've got to be kidding me!' look. "Tomorrow morning? That fast?"

"Well, we can go a little faster and you can leave later tonight, if it would suit you better," the red-head informed. "It won't be as well prepared, but—"

"No, no, tomorrow morning is fine," Jackie insisted, cutting him off. "It's just all… happening so fast…"

"Our middle names are Fast and Faster, my brother and I. Cid doesn't like slowpokes, you know! Tight ship and all that good stuff."

"I see…" Mira said slowly, never sure of how to deal with the doltish brothers and their fast-paced natures. "Tomorrow morning, then?"

"Absolutely! See you lot in the morning, ma'am!" The red-head saluted the family—mostly Mira—and dashed back out the door, whistling a bight tune.

"Those two are the oddest people…" Mira murmured, shaking her head at the boy.

The twins sighed in unison and Palom folded his arms on the table, resting his chin on his arms. "I was afraid when they went to the moon. I'm glad that they're alright."

Porom gave him a firm whack. "But now they've brought a monster to the Blue Planet! It's going to destroy everything! Aren't you afraid of _that_?!"

"Cecil can take it on," Palom insisted. "And with all the help everyone's giving him, I don't see how he _can't_ win. I'm not scared at all!"

"You'll be scared when we get there," Porom bet, and her brother stuck out his tongue at her.

"No I won't."

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"We're flying on _that_ thing?" Porom cried in delight when she saw the airship the next morning. "It's huge! I've never seen anything like it!"

"You won't find anything like it anywhere else in the world," informed the older of the red-heads. "It's the second best ship—after Cid's _Enterprise_. 25 cannons on either side, total of 50. (_The Enterprise_ has 50 to a side.) You kids want to see how to work them?"

"Yeah! That'd be awesome!" Palom agreed. Porom looked excited too.

"I don't think so," Jackie interrupted. The twins wilted sadly together.

"Little brother and I will be your pilots for the day, and several dozen cannoneers are already on board. All supplies have been loaded, and we're ready for take off. We await you four mages," the red-head said, bowing over-exaggeratedly with a comic flourish. "Shall we fly?"

Five minutes after take off, Palom felt ashamed to admit (Only to himself.) that Porom had been right. Flying was terrifying. Let alone the impending doom that they were flying towards, which was also starting to seep in.

Porom, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying herself. While Palom stayed as close to the middle of the deck, practically clinging to the mast for safety, his sister ran up and down the side of the railings, leaning over so far that their parents and the red-headed pilots had to save her from falling overboard a few times. At length, she realized that her brother had cloistered himself uncharacteristically out of the way and came to talk with him.

"What's that matter, Palom? I thought you were excited," she teased; she probably already knew what was bothering him.

Palom scowled at her and wound his fingers tighter around one of the ropes dangling from the mast. "Do you ever get tired of being right about how I feel?" he demanded.

Porom smiled understandingly. "I thought _I_ was going to be scared and _you_ were going to have fun. You sounded so sure of yourself last night…"

"I thought it would be fun too. Why didn't I think it would be so… _high_?"

"It's an _airship_; we've seen them already. You know that they fly in the air. You saw them before I did, anyway."

"…Let's change the subject."

"We have to talk about it _sometime_; it'll be one year since Mysidia was attacked in August... Oh, and then we'll be seven on September fourth!"

"Wow… What do you think the monster's gonna look like when we get there?"

"Don't know. Dad says he read about it in the Land of Summons; he said that it's like a big robot-looking thing, like the toy that Dharma gave you when we turned five."

"Oh, I get it. (Man, that was a cool toy…)"

"Well, it's going to be really dangerous, so I'm going to enjoy myself while I can. Come play on the deck with me; it's a little scary at first, but it's really fun! You'll never stop being afraid if you keep sitting there."

"…Okay."

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"Yo, kids! Come check this out!" hollered the pilot, and the twins came scampering to see what was going on.

"Look out ahead," the red-head instructed. "There's the Giant of Babil!"

Thy were there already? It felt like they had just left Baron! The fight was so close at hand... Porom felt her heart beating faster and her breath shortening.

Another airship pulled up alongside theirs and someone called out, "Ahoy!" They turned to look and saw that the man calling to them was leaning on a crutch, his blonde hair blowing in the wind. Strangely, the other people around him were female.

"Are you coming from Baron?" asked the man.

"Sure are," answered the red-head. "Are you from Troia?"

"Yep; came running as soon as we heard."

"That was fast, dude. When'd you get the call?"

"Just last night."

"Fancy that! We got the call last night too!"

"Then you're hardly one to talk! Do you know if Cecil and his friends are alright?"

"Our Lady Mage seems to think so; her brother is the Elder of Mysidia."

"...Mira Faraxhae is onboard?" the man asked after a pause.

"Her hubby and kids, too. Sweet, eh?"

After another pause, the man said, "Tell her that Edward Chris von Muir wishes her and her family luck, and that he's been pulling for her children since he heard about them."

The red-head nodded to the blonde man as the airship pulled ahead.

"Sir," Porom asked, turning to the pilot, "who was that man?"

"How did he know about us?" Palom asked, almost suspiciously.

"That was Edward Chris von Muir, the prince—I mean, King—of Damcyan. He was involved with your uncle somehow... or your cousin. I can't remember what they said."

"That must be the guy that Anna ran off with and made uncle Tellah really mad," Palom realized to his sister.

"He always said bad things about Edward; he doesn't look bad at all," Porom added sadly. "I hope it's because uncle Tellah was just mad."

They turned to look across the sky over the Babil region. The place was dotted with airships of varying sizes, shapes, colors and coats of arms. The ship that Edward was on, a brown vessel half the size of their ship, _The Bowzer_, joined a small company of similar ships. They all flew the flag of the kingdom of Troia, the sparsely populated but vast kingdom on the northwestern corner of the continent. Far off to their right, a much smaller company of ships with Eastern-style sails hovered together under the banner of Fabul, Yang's home country. On the ground below, an army of large metal cart-looking vehicles with long tubular cannons was advancing on the tower.

"Do you see the _Enterprise_ anywhere?" Palom asked.

"How should I know? I've never seen it," Porom argued.

"She isn't here," the pilot informed sadly and nervously. "Leastwise, I don 't see it here..."

"Wait! Look at _that_ ship over there," Palom said excitedly, pointing at a big black ship that was sailing around from the other side of the tower, previously hidden.

"That's not one of ours," the pilot informed hungrily, probably wishing that it _was_. "I've never seen an airship like that! It's... beautiful!"

Porom inhaled sharply. "I'll bet that's the_ Lunar Whale_, the ship that uncle Rai brought up while we were in Baron!"

"Then that means that Cecil's on that ship!" Palom added.

"I say we go check it out," the pilot said decisively and steered the_ Bowzer_ toward the tower and the_ Lunar Whale._

Even from a distance, it was great to see Cecil again; at least he was alive. They didn't recognize anyone else in the large window of the _Whale_, though. There were two women in the window, one of whom had blonde hair, and the other of whom had wild green hair. They knew instantly that the blonde woman must be Rosa, and they wondered briefly if the green-haired woman was Rydia.

Apparently, the giant window was open, because they both heard Cecil yell their names. Their hearts jumped into their mouths; he saw them!

"Cecil, Cecil! Look! They finally revived us!" Palom yelled back, hoping his voice would carry across the distance.

"We're gonna help you beat that monster!" Porom added "Just like before! We're gonna do it together!"

They had no idea if he could hear them, but they hoped that he could.

"Wait... what monster, exactly?" Palom asked his sister. "Nothing's happened yet."

Almost as soon as he finished talking, the air began to hum and the tower stared moving from side to side, as if it were being blown around in a storm. The tower suddenly yanked itself up from the ground, like someone pulling out a weed. Its side walls and the lower levels split apart from it, becoming like arms and legs. The top 15 stories either fused or split up to form eyes and a mouth. The Giant flexed its limbs, blinked its eyes and roared, testing its newfound voice. The air buzzed again with the noise, even sending the small Troian ships back several yards.

"Oh, you just _had_ to go and say that, _didn't_ you, Palom!" Porom shouted, smacking her bother over the head.

"I didn't do anything!" Palom insisted, rubbing the sore spot. "I was just wondering!"

"So what are they going to do now?" Porom demanded.

The pilot let out a whoop. "Now we rock and roll, sister! Hey! Little brother! Tell those cannoneers to start firing at that thing!"

"Can do, big brother!" called the other red-head from somewhere. The ship was still for a moment longer, despite the lingering echo of the Giant's roar. Then the whole thing shook violently with an even louder thundering noise as the cannons were fired. They were still little far away from the monster, but the cannon balls hit its body hard enough to make it stagger back a step. All the other ships caught on, as did the tanks below, and everyone began firing heavily at it.

"Woohoo! Nothing can withstand a good-old-fashioned cannon blasting!" exclaimed the pilot as he drove the _Bowzer_ around to the back of the tower. In the process, they pulled up so close to the _Lunar Whale_ that the sides nearly collided.

"Dudes! How's it going?" the pilot yelled over the railing.

"How does it look like it's going, fire-top?!" yelled back a voice.

"Hehe, pick up a new pal there, Cecil?" the pilot called.

Porom felt her heart jump into her throat, and she was sure that her brother felt the same. They both peeked over the railing to see. They were staring straight into the open plate-glass window of the _Lunar Whale_ at five people. One was a tall, ancient-looking man who shone white like the moon. Another was a young man with white hair, dressed in eastern style clothes with a gossamer silk scarf tied around his face. Two were the women they recognized before: blonde, willowy Rosa, and the green-haired girl who could only be Rydia. The fifth, of course, was Cecil; and he looked healthier than the twins had ever seen him.

"You're alive!" Palom exclaimed, jumping up from the floor.

Cecil inhaled sharply, and his blue eyes looked like they would pop out of his head. "_You're_ alive! We had heard it, but it seemed too good to be real! What are you doing _here_?"

"Helping you, like everyone else!" Porom answered as the _Bowzer_ began to pass the window and circle to the other side of the tower. "We'll talk more later! Beat up the Giant for us! We don't know how you'll do it, but we all know you will!"

"Why can't I believe it?" Palom asked when the _Whale_ was out of site. "He's alive! And he found Rosa! I've heard all about it, but I just can't believe it!"

"I know! I can't believe it either!" Porom answered, beaming in the face of certain danger. "It was… so good to hear his voice again. And he looked so much better than before."

"He got Rosa back—and that cutie, Rydia, too," the pilot said. "Happier? Healthier? You betcha!"

"You know what this means, Porom? We've gotta get outta here, so we can 'talk later', like you said. And we've gotta meet Rosa and Rydia!"

"…You're right!" Porom held out her right hand. "Promise we'll both get out alive?"

"You got it!" Palom agreed, shaking her hand as the ship rocked with another cannon.

As the rumble of the cannon faded, they heard the red-headed pilot chuckle to himself and say, "I can make that happen, kids; don't worry 'bout that."

For another five hours, the _Bowzer_, the other airships around, and the tanks below continued to assault the Giant with heavy fire from every possible side. The Giant had finally figured out how to use its legs and that it could move forward, forcing the army to follow it. Several ships cruised by the _Bowzer_, asking the pilot if he knew where Cecil and company had gone.

"You mean he's gone?"

"The _Whale_'s still parked way over there," informed one of these other pilots, pointing about a mile behind them to where the _Lunar Whale_ was still hovering alone in midair. "But there's no one inside. Any idea where they could have gone?"

The pilot shook his head, looking worried. "I can't imagine where…"

That had been during the earlier hours of the battle. Mira and Jackie remained below deck, helping with the cannons and casting massive spells. All this time, the twins remained on deck, helping the red-heads navigate around the monster and among other ships; even casting a small spell or two. But as the hours progressed, Cecil and his team failed to show up anywhere; though the other pilots seemed to have a few theories of their own.

"Maybe they chocked and jumped ship?" naively suggested a Troian pilot, who may have still been upset over the loss of the Earth crystal

"I think they may have gotten inside the Giant somehow," informed a young man driving one of the green Fabulian ships. "I don't know how they could have done it, but they've already been to the moon and back so I'm ready to believe they can do anything!"

"Maybe the monster already KO'ed them," said another Troian pilot without pretense.

"Don't say something like that in front of little kids, you dolt!" snapped the red-head to the nonchalant Troian when the twins gasped in terror.

"Geez, sorry," she said indignantly and flew off again.

As the fifth hour began drawing to a close, the Giant appeared to be weakening _ever_ so subtly, seemingly out of the blue.

"I wonder what's going on with it?" wondered the pilot. "It can't be us; we haven't' been able to damage it. We're just a distraction!"

"Maybe they _did_ get inside the Giant and they're making it sick somehow," Porom said excitedly. "Like giving it a stomachache."

"Giving a giant robot a stomachache…? Cool!" Palom responded. "Wish _I_ could be there."

"You'd only get in the way."

Something started beeping and the pilot gasped. "The radar's saying that there's a rogue ship coming up from behind; one of you go run and check that out," he directed. Palom jumped up first and dashed toward the rear of the ship; Porom stayed where she was, but strained to try and see it from where she was. She couldn't see anything, but her brother came back quickly, panting from running awkwardly up and down the deck.

"It's just the _Whale_," he said cheerily. "It's flying this way."

"Someone stayed to drive it?" the pilot wondered out loud.

A minute later, the Giant stopped dead in its tracks, making the entire airborne army and the tanks come to a screeching halt. The monster's stone body creaked and groaned with weakness, like it was going to collapse at any given moment.

"I hope to highest heaven that they _didn't_ go in there," the pilot said worriedly. "If they did, they'll be trapped inside when the Giant falls!"

"What about the _Whale_?" Palom insisted.

"What about it? It can't get inside the Giant."

"Well, how do you think they got in?" Porom asked, fishing for a vein of hope.

"How should I know? We don't even know if that's what _really_ happened!"

"Maybe they'll jump out of the mouth," Palom suggested, ignoring the pilot. "That thing can't seem to keep its mouth shut; they could get out that way."

"Well, whatever they've been up to, that thing looks like it's gonna fall apart. If it does, pieces of stone are going to go flying all over the place; that could do a lot of damage to the ships, and not to think of those poor tanks below. We need to skedaddle, _fast_," the pilot explained and sent the helm spinning counterclockwise. The _Bowzer_ began to turn sharply, making everything tilt and slide toward the opposite railing. Out in the airspace around, most of the other ships were doing the same.

"But we can't leave them there!" Porom protested.

"What can we do?" the pilot asked. Porom grimaced, realizing that there wasn't anything that anyone could do.

"It's just not right that we lost them all, got them back for half a minute, and then lose them forever like this!" she said, on the verge of crying like a little baby.

"Maybe they're okay somewhere else already," the pilot suggested firmly, like he believed his words as strongly as the twins believed that Cecil had gone inside the Giant. "Come on, you two; this is _Cecil_ we're talking about. He'll be fine."

One Fabulian ships pulled up alongside the _Bowzer_ and a man came to its rail to call to the pilot.

"Sir, where are you headed now? We must regroup!"

"Not sure yet," the pilot answered, squinting at the man. "I know you! You were with Cecil at one point, back when those two turned to stone, right?" he asked, nodding at the twins, who stood up to look at the other man.

"Yang!" they exclaimed together.

Yang blinked several times, as dazed as Cecil had looked earlier. "You're alive! When did this—Where are you going?"

"We don't know yet," Palom stated matter-of-factly.

"I say we make a beeline for Mysidia," the pilot suggested. "Where else is there to go?"

"I agree," Yang yelled over the wind. "We will follow you, yes?"

"See you there!" the pilot said with a playful salute.

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For a second, Cecil wasn't entirely sure of where he was; he was slightly surprised to find that he didn't care. Everything was immaculately clean and white, and shone bright with the light streaming through a window nearby.

_Oh… I stayed in this room while I was in Mysidia_, he remembered. It was the same as he remembered it, except it was warmer and more peaceful than he remembered. His sight still slightly hazy with sleep, he turned over in bed and found himself staring at Rosa's beautiful face.

They had arrived in Mysidia late the previous night; they followed the retreating ships all the way back, but at a distance that they couldn't seem to make up for. They had landed a few hours after everyone else. Tired and frazzled from their trip through the Giant, Rai, Dharma and Sheila had shown them to a few rooms where they immediately collapsed.

"It's good to see you alive," Sheila had said emotionlessly as she shoved Rosa, already half asleep, into his room with him. He wondered vaguely if she did and said those things purely to be spiteful, and hoped that he hadn't left her bitter. It was hard for him to imagine a white mage in such a state of mind, but he had never know a white mage who was really capable of being so; Georgette, Rosa, Porom, himself—to a smaller degree—they could never act like that. But he didn't know Sheila very well.

_Oh well. I can't be held responsible for how she decides to be,_ he thought to himself, reaching out and caressing Rosa's face softly. _I'm just glad that you're okay, Rosa._

Her eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes slowly. Even half-closed, her bright, dark brown eyes stood out against the pure whiteness of everything else around them. She smiled gently.

"I almost thought I was in heaven," she whispered, her voice slightly rough from sleep and her fair share of screaming the day before.

"Maybe you are," he answered.

"Think we should go check on the others?"

"…..Nah, not now. It's still a little early."

"Oh. It seemed so bright and I thought…"

"It _is_ June; the sun comes at such an ungodly hour now."

The door suddenly flew open and crashed into the wall loudly, startling them both to sit up and look around for something to attack. What hit them was a pair of brown and white blurs yelling, "Cecil! Cecil! You're alive! You're alive!" repeatedly and clinging to him tearfully, as if he were going to slip away forever.

"Palom! Porom! I need to breathe!" he laughed through tears, prying them off so he could take a breath.

"You're crying," Porom noted, sweetly brushing a tear off of his face with one hand, and one from her own with the other.

"Look who's talking," Palom teased, brushing tears off his chin. "You're such a crybaby, sis."

Cecil sighed inwardly. It was almost… comforting to hear them squabbling again. It seemed like a long time that he spent just staring at them, feeling like a million bucks. Almost everything that he had lost recently had been returned to him.

_What was it I said once, about everything I hold dear being lost in order to save the world? Guess I was wrong that time._

"You disappeared yesterday," Palom scolded. "Everyone was asking where you went. What happened?"

"Did you get inside the Giant?" Porom asked eagerly.

"Well… Yeah, we did. How did you know that?"

"Ha!" Porom cheered, throwing her hands triumphantly into the air. "We were right! Wait 'till we tell Leon!"

"Leon? The pilot?" Rosa asked.

"Uh-hu. That's him," Palom answered. "He told us that it was impossible, but we didn't listen to him. Wait… Are you Rosa?" he asked, a look of wonder coming over his face.

Rosa laughed, amused, and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I am. And you must be Palom and Porom," she guessed, reaching over and tousling Palom's hair. "The last time I saw you, you were both stone, and your parents were working on reviving you."

"We heard you had been to Baron," Palom added personably. "Come on, Porom. Say something to Rosa."

Porom blushed and looked shyly down at her lap. She waved weakly and whispered, "Hi."

"Don't mind her," Palom insisted. "She's just shy. She'll come around soon… I think."

Porom grew indignant and whacked her bother sharply. "Stop it!"

"No hitting!" Cecil reprimanded. "How many times do we have to tell you…?"

For a second it was comfortably like old times, except for Rosa, trying to stifle laughter behind her hands. Her laughter was incredibly infectious and everyone was laughing uncontrollably in a matter of seconds.

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Ah…! The chapter that WOULD NOT cooperate! I missed my deadline entirely! T.T

Oh well. Two more chapters left! (Not including the epilogue… -.o)

_With the Giant defeated and Golbez brought to his senses, it's time to take a well deserved break, reunite with old acquaintances, and meet some new allies._

"I've heard a lot about you," the green-hair woman said good naturedly. "You're Palom and Porom, yes?" she asked, pointing to each of them in turn.

"Yep; that's us," Palom agreed. "You're... you're Rydia, right?"

"Summoner extraordinaire, that's me," she said with a grin. "I've been waiting a long time to get to meet you two."

"So have we," Porom said shyly.

"Yeah.... You're a lot older than we thought you'd be," Palom added.

_But Cecil's battle isn't over yet! And this time, there's nothing that the twins will be able to do for him!_

"All we can do this time is...pray, I guess," Palom said, once again remaining as calm as he could.

Porom stomped her foot angrily. "No! We can help him more than that!"

"He told us to stay here. It's not we were the only ones we won't take with him," he pointed out.

"It bugs us too," someone behind him said. He turned to look and saw Rosa and Rydia standing over him.

"If Cecil thinks he can beat Zemus with only Edge and Kain, he's dead wrong," Rydia said stoutly.

"Oh," Palom said, noting the full backpacks both woman had slung over their shoulders. He rested his hands casually on the back of his head and grinned mischievously. "Sneaking off, huh?"

"Stowing away in the cargo hold, to be exact," Rosa added. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Sure thing, Rosa."

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this _very_ short break!_

_Brought to you in pat by..._

Final Fantasy XVIII, the 18th installment of the extensive Final Fantasy series! Relive the excitement of the classic RPG gameplay as ever before, with bold new graphics, new weapons and armor, and 400 new monsters to slay! Not coming in fall of 2010!


	21. The Intrepid Party

I'm sorry for the lack of previews last chapter. I'll make up this time.

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Chapter 20: The Intrepid Party

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"Your buddies sure know how to sleep," Palom noted. It was 10:36, and the only two non-Mysidian people awake were Cecil and Rosa.

"We fought hard and played hard," Rosa informed, sounding sturdier after a filling breakfast. "If Edge, Rydia and Kain _were_ awake now, I'd be pretty surprised."

"So then, the green-haired lady _was_ Rydia?" Porom asked hopefully.

"I can't wait to meet her! We should go jump on her and wake her up right now!" Palom suggested excitedly.

"Wouldn't recommend it," Cecil warned. "Even when she was little, she would cast a spell on you if you bothered her sleep. And with her arsenal of summonable monsters and her current level of magic…" he trailed off, leaving the ending to Palom's big, wild imagination.

"Oh… Maybe that _won't_ be such a good idea," he agreed after a minute.

"But there is a lot you can learn from her," Rosa added. "She is a black mage, like you."

"Cool. I wish she was awake _now_."

"I wish they all were awake," Cecil said, casting an impatient glance at the door. "…Except for Kain…" he added under his breath.

"What was that, love?" Rosa asked.

"Oh, nothing."

"I wonder what all we've missed while we were in Baron," Porom mused. "Where did Dharma and Sheila go?"

"Dharma's in the study upstairs," Rosa informed, nodding at the door. "He said that he's got things to look up."

"For what? Is something else happening?" Palom interrupted.

"Not really a concern for anyone just yet," Cecil answered. His answer came just quickly enough to make it sound like he was trying to hide something; something that he would say they weren't old enough to know, or that it didn't concern them. "As for Sheila… The last time I saw her was last night, late. I haven't seen her this morning. I suppose she's decided to make herself scarce today."

"I wonder why?" Rosa wondered. "She seemed pretty nice, but then I was practically asleep on my feet."

"Well…"

It was strange, now that Palom thought about it. Whenever Cecil didn't want to answer a question or a question made him uncomfortable, he stalled by mumbling "Um…" or "Well…" or something along those lines. Palom wondered what was bothering him. However, finding Rydia was way more interesting than trying to pry into Cecil's mind.

"Let's go talk to Dharma, then," he suggested to his sister.

"He may not want us to bother him," Porom countered.

"Not want to see us? We've been gone for more than half a year! Of course he'll want to see us!" He jumped down out of his chair and dashed for the door. Porom rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry about him," she said, an embarrassed excuse which seemed to be directed mainly at Rosa. "Palom! Wait for me!" she called, scampering after him. They were about to race up the stairs when they saw someone else coming down.

It was the young woman with the green hair from the day before: Rydia, the Summoner. Her hair, which looked as if it had a messy nature when brushed, was tousled and full of tangles, as if she had just gotten out of bed. Dressed in a slinky nightgown of bright green and a silky, pale yellow bathrobe, she looked like some kind of exotic flower. She rubbed her eyes drowsily, perhaps still half asleep, and regarded the twins, six feet below her on the ground. At first, her gaze was lazy, relaxed with drowse; as her great blue eyes adjusted under her fist, her eyes seemed to clear and brighten, as if ice were melting from them. Her expression changed from disoriented and tired to alert and slightly amused.

"Good morning," she said sweetly, waving to them. "Sleep well?"

"Uh… Sure," Palom agreed. He felt like someone had knocked him on the floor. Rydia was standing in front of him; she was _right_ there! Rydia, who was supposed to have died in a shipwreck! Rydia, the summoner who could kill him with a sweep of her hand if she so chose. Rydia, who had just woken up and greeting him like he was her… peer. Porom seemed too stunned to say anything yet.

"I've heard a lot about you," the green-hair woman said good naturedly. "You're Palom and Porom, yes?" she asked, pointing to each of them in turn.

"Yep; that's us," Palom agreed. "You're... you're Rydia, right?"

"Summoner extraordinaire, that's me," she said with a grin. "I've been waiting a long time to get to meet you two."

"So have we," Porom said shyly.

"Yeah.... You're a lot older than we thought you'd be," Palom added.

Rydia laughed merrily; her laugh had a strange, magical quality, like faraway bells on the wind. Because she was so powerful? Because she had been exposed to such strange creatures, grown with them, learned from them, gained their strength? Because she was so charming? Because of a combination of them all? Who knew!

"I guess I did grow pretty fast," she admitted, looking herself over bashfully. "It happened slowly, like in real time, but I feel so out of place!"

"You're beautiful…" Porom breathed.

"Oh, thank you," Rydia smiled, coming down to the floor and patting her on the head. "And you're very cute, yourself."

Porom looked like she would faint.

"Is anyone else awake?" she ventured. "Kain…?" she asked aloofly, as if his presence made no matter to her.

"No, ma'am. Just Cecil and Rosa, in the kitchen," Porom answered shyly and quickly, nodding at the kitchen door.

"Why all the fuss about this Kain guy, anyways?" Palom asked, feeling a little impatient.

Rydia rolled her blue eyes like she was royally annoyed with hearing his name. "Trust me; when you meet him, you'll understand," she answered dryly. Her tone of voice changed so quickly and sharply; Palom was a bit frightened.

_I had almost started to feel at home with her,_ he thought, feeling shaken. _I forgot how dangerous she is!_

"Never mind him," she insisted. "If you see a guy with white hair and a scarf wrapped around his face and he asks for me, tell him I'm eating my breakfast _without_ him, okay?"

"Sure, okay," Palom agreed instantly while Porom nodded wordlessly.

Rydia winked playfully at them, the storm gone for now, and walked in the door with a cheery good morning to her friends as the door closed behind her.

The twins were silent for a minute.

"……She was _amazing_," Porom whispered.

"You should have told her so," Palom insisted. It dawned on him suddenly that her was still wearing his white nightshirt and shorts and felt a little silly.

"We're still in our pajamas," he said pointedly. "We should get dressed."

"I don't mind," Porom said sweetly, swishing the long skirt of her white nightgown. "I feel pretty in this dress."

"You wear it to sleep."

"So?"

"…Never mind. I want to get dressed before I see Dharma; I feel silly."

"The others didn't seem to feel silly; Rydia certainly didn't."

"But she's _hot_."

"_What_ did you say?! When did you learn to talk like that?"

"From Leon, the pilot."

"Don't let mom catch you talking like that, or she'll never let you hang out with him again. Just say that she's really pretty, okay?"

"Whatever."

"Yo down there!" someone called from the top of the stairs. The twins looked up to see who was there. Another one of Cecil's friends they had seen the day before. His hair was snow white, and he had a light blue scarf tied around his face so they couldn't see what his face looked like. Aside from the scarf, the only clothing he wore was a pair of loose-fitting pants made of what looked like blue silk. He stretched his arms wide, every visible muscle of his incredibly toned body flexing under his tanned skin.

"Have either of you seen a really cute girl, 'bout this high, green hair, can't miss her?" her asked, leveling his hand at his shoulder.

"Yeah, we saw her, like, half a minute ago," Palom agreed.

"She said to tell you that she's eating breakfast without you," Porom added.

"Dang, that really stings," the man said sadly, rubbing the back of his head bashfully. His grey eyes wandered into the rafters. His eyes seemed to express his emotions without the help of his mouth. If he didn't even have a voice, they would have spoken every word for him.

"Oh well," he said, brightening ever so slightly and walking quickly down the stairs. "Rydia can be kinda irritable in the mornings; give her a few hours to wake and she'll be all over me again."

"…Huh?" Palom asked, tilting his head to one side.

"Oh… Ah, I'm sure you kids'll understand in a few years; don't worry about it." When he reached the ground, he knelt down in front of them and extended his hand to Palom. "The name's Edge, prince of Eblan. How're you two doing?"

"Good," Palom answered, shaking the prince's hand. "Just trying to get upstairs."

"Oh yeah, you met up with Rydia, eh? Bet that slowed you down," Edge agreed, playfully punching Palom in the shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess," he agreed, rubbing his shoulder. He left tiny and insignificant next to Edge, who was at least four times his size. He wondered hopefully if he could ever be that big and impressive one day.

_I've seen Sheila get all mushy over big guys like him,_ he thought. _Would girls feel the same way if I were… Oh geez, what am I thinking? Girls like _me_? Me like _girls_? Gross!_

"Well, if it's upstairs you're going to, you'd better get going," Edge said finally and stood back up. "You kids have fun… upstairs," he said dumbly and walked to the door. He ran his fingers through his short hair as he walked and then disappeared into the kitchen with a, "Tada! Ninja in the house!" and a groan from everyone else.

"He was really weird," Porom said after another pause.

"Yeah," Palom agreed vaguely. "Come on; let's get up there before someone else wakes up."

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Porom had forgotten how much fun it was to be dressed in white and red-striped clothing. It happened to look very good on her, and she hadn't worn any of her own clothing in a long time. The dress she had been petrified in was old and worn, and covered in stains and rips. The warm green coat that Cecil had bought for her was also in bad condition from the trip through the Waterway, and Georgette had to toss it out. Even worse, her wonderful feathered hat had been lost somewhere and no one could find it. Her wardrobe in Baron had been mostly of solid colors and plain design, and it had gotten her down.

So she was very happy to slip into a pretty white-red-striped spring dress that still fit her. Very few of them still did, after so long.

_I've really grown,_ she thought to herself, twirling in front of her mirror. She wilted a little, still sad about the disappearance of her feathered hat. _I wonder if I have enough to buy a replacement… Oh, I finally got that hat so that it fit my head perfectly! I want my hat back!_

She walked back out of her room, feeling more like her old self than ever before, and scanning the hallway for her brother. He wasn't there, so she walked over to his bedroom door and knocked.

"Are you dressed yet?"

"Give me a second, Porom!"

She looked at the clock at the end of the hall, which read 3:46 in the afternoon.

_Sheesh; how long does it take to get dressed?!_

Palom came out a minute later in a white-green striped shirt and brown shorts. He had even remembered to comb his hair today. One long lock of brown hair hung down a little past his shoulder, free of tangles.

"Has mom taught you how to make a braid yet?" he asked.

Porom shook her head. "A basic braid; I don't know how to do yours. Your braid is special."

Palom pouted and wound the lock of hair around his finger a few times.

"Mom can do it; don't worry," Porom said, taking him by the wrist and hauling him into the kitchen. "Mom? Mom, can you—"

They both stopped dead in their tracks, utterly surprised by what was happening. Mira and Jackie were together in the kitchen, and were dancing together; it looked like some kind of waltz. They both seemed so happy; Mira was actually laughing. They had never heard their mother laughing like this before. She didn't even seem to have heard Porom calling her. They had no idea what to do, and remained standing there in the doorway watching their parents spinning around and around.

"Let's go ask someone else," Palom suggested. "Mom's not the only one on the island who knows how to do my braid."

"You're right. Let's go."

They started for the door, not disturbing their parents at all with a good-bye. Porom was just about to go out the door when Palom stopped her and pointed up on the coat rack.

"Porom! Look up there!"

She looked up and, to her joy, was her old feathered hat, perched on the lowest peg. She snatched it off the peg and looked it over, glowing.

"Ooh, what's this?" she said, looking inside. There was a note on white paper inside her hat. It read:

_Hey, kid! Rydia found this, forgotten in a corner a few months ago. She showed it to Cecil and he said that it was yours. I'm not sure how anyone was able to miss it, but I guess you're _way_ more important than a hat. (No matter how fine it is!) Anyways, here it is; I'll bet it looks great on you. Can't wait to see it! Enjoy!_

—_Edge _

"He really is weird," she said, placing the hat on her head. She sighed contentedly. Now _everything_ was as it should be.

"I…feel……._great_."

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They careened into the tower, anxious to see their new friends.

"I can't wait to show Edge my hat, like he said in the note," Porom said, slowing down.

"I want to talk to Rydia about her magic; Rosa said she's a black mage, remember?" Palom added.

"Oh, they only just got back! And we've never even met most of his friends! There's so much I want to talk with them about," Porom said excitedly, clapping her hands together spasmodically.

"I sure hope they're not busy," Palom mentioned, looking around. "I don't see anyone. It's so quiet."

A door slammed nearby and a man appeared form the kitchen with a glass of milk in one hand and a plum in the other. His long blonde hair fell in his face so that the twins couldn't see his face from where they were.

"Excuse me?" Porom asked, and the blonde man turned to face them He looked surprised to see them.

"I didn't hear you come in," he said in a deep but flat voice.

"The door slammed and we were yelling and everything," Palom insisted, as if he were assuring the stranger that he could be louder, if he wished.

"Palom!" Porom hissed, threatening to hit him. She turned back to the stranger and asked, "Do you know where everyone is? They don't seem to be around, and…"

Something in the way the man looked at them made her feel like she was being scrutinized in a sinister way. She felt like she was being bullied by someone. She knew what it felt like to be afraid of something, and it wasn't like this. It was more like… intimidation. She almost felt that he disapproved of every word that she said, and that each word only made him hate her more somehow.

"No one's here but me and the white mage," the man informed.

"Rosa?" Palom guessed.

"No, the Elder's assistant."

"Oh, that's Sheila," Porom offered. "She's our… teacher." She trailed off again, remembering that this man hated it when she talked.

"Hm. She seems nice."

"You bet she's nice," Palom agreed. "She's one of the best teachers ever!" He didn't feel afraid of the man at all; as far as Palom could see it, the man was just a guy with big eyes and a deep voice.

The man was silent for a moment. "I don't know exactly where everyone went, but I think you'll find Rydia in the garden; and wherever she is, Edge usually isn't too far behind." He said this last remark with the slightest trace of a grimace, as if he didn't approve.

Porom still felt pretty intimidated, but Palom was happy for the man's help. "Thanks a lot, mister!" he said cheerily, taking Porom's hand and dragging her back to the door.

"The name's Highwind, by the way," the stranger called after them. "Kain Highwind."

The twins felt their hearts stop harshly and they quickened their pace without fussing at each other. They ran back behind the tower, where a flower garden was kept, and didn't stop until they were well away from the door.

"_That_ was the Kain that everyone's so upset about?" Palom said incredulously. "He didn't seem that bad."

"You didn't look that scared a minute ago," Porom pointed out.

"The way that some people talk, I thought he was a big scary guy. I thought I would know him when I saw him."

"I knew right away that something was wrong; he sure seemed scary to _me_."

"Who's there?" called Rydia's voice from nearby. She appeared from behind a tall shrubbery like a playful spirit, looking curious. When she saw the twins, she smiled her bright, girlish smile.

"Hi, you guys," she said. "It's good to find you again."

"We were looking for you," Porom informed.

"Rosa told me that you can teach me stuff about black magic," Palom added, suddenly growing shy again.

Rydia looked pleased. "I'd love to. Would you guys like to walk with me?"

They immediately recovered from their encounter with Kain and ran to join the Summoner, deciding not to mention it.

"I see you got your hat back, Porom. It looks good!" Rydia noted.

Porom beamed, happier ad prouder than ever of her feathered hat. "Edge wrote a note saying that he couldn't wait to see it."

Rydia rolled her eyes again. "Sounds like something he would say, alright. You know, when he lets you get past his huge ego, he's really quite the charmer."

She sounded like she was about to say more, but she was interrupted by someone leaping out of the bushes and shouting, "Aha! I knew it! You admitted that you like me!"

Rydia smacked her forehead and growled. "Edge! You're following me again!"

"What can I say? We're both _very_ attractive people, you know," the ninja said innocently, stepping out of the bush and swaggering toward Rydia.

"Stay away from me," Rydia said defensively, putting her hands up to block him.

"What? I haven't done anything... yet, anyway."

"Edge, there are children here!"

"There are—" he said, looking down and noticing the twins. "Oh; sorry, everyone. Hey, you got your hat back!"

"Oh, yeah," Porom said proudly, adjusting her hat. "Thanks for bringing it. I came to show you, like you said in the note."

"I'm glad you did; you look adorable."

Porom beamed again and blushed.

"You sure shaped up," Rydia noted. "Maybe we need to keep a few kids on hand and see if it improves your bad attitude."

"I like kids; what? Don't you?" he asked suggestively. Rydia scowled a warning and he changed his tone. "Uh, mind if I, er, tag along for a bit?" She looked like she was about to say no, but he added quickly, "I'll behave; promise!"

Rydia rolled her eyes again. "Oh, alright. So long as you promise not to talk too much."

_I think he _really_ like her; how cute!_ Porom thought, trying not to smirk at her idea.

_He must be in love with her. Gross!_ Palom thought, trying not to grimace.

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The way that Dharma explained it to them was supposedly the short version, in a nutshell. Even so, it made no sense to the twins:

For starters, Cecil had an older brother, which was mind-boggling by itself. Furthermore, their father was something called Lunarian; apparently, it was a race that dwelt on one of the moons. (Which moon exactly, Dharma hadn't mentioned.) The old guy who had been on the _Whale_ was also a Lunarian, though he had yet to make an appearance.

Cecil's brother, Theodore, had been going by another name lately: Golbez. Yes, the same Golbez that Cecil had been tying to get rid of for the past several months. Yes, the same Golbez who kidnapped Rosa. Yes, that same guy was Cecil's older brother. How, you may ask?

Well, there's this evil Lunarian, named Zemus, who decided to brainwash Theodore; the boy disappeared and became Golbez. However, the old Lunarian on the _Whale_ had but to whack him over the head a few times and he came to. Golbez and the Lunarian had taken off to stop Zemus before the Giant collapsed.

They were supposed to have defeated the villain. But Cecil, all his friends, and Sheila had had horrible visions last night: Golbez and the old Lunarian were in trouble. They were getting clobbered by Zemus and needed help.

I short, Cecil was leaving yet again. This time, the likelihood of his return was dismally low; lower than it had ever been before.

"From what I understand," Dharma was concluding, "Cecil, Edge, and Kain are going alone and making Rosa and Rydia stay behind."

Palom and Porom sat there, trying to figure everything out. Cecil had a brother? An _evil_ brother? And evil moon people brainwashing humans? It sounded like a story; a quickly, shoddily collaborated story.

"All that stuff can't be true," Palom insisted, shaking his head vehemently. "It's too crazy."

Dharma hung his head sadly. "It's all true. You can go and ask someone yourself."

Without a word, the twins jumped up and ran out of the library. They dashed down the stairs and out the tower door. They nearly crashed into Rosa and Rydia, sitting on he front steps, just out of the way of traffic. Rosa had her face buried in her hands, sobbing quietly, and Rydia was pouting beside her. The summoner looked up at the twins and tried to smile.

"Hey, kids," she said sullenly. The twins knelt beside them.

"We heard some pretty crazy stuff," Palom informed, coming over to Rydia and snuggling up against her. She put her arm around him and gave him a squeeze.

"What did you hear?" she asked, trying to sound neutral.

"Dharma was telling us this weird story about Cecil and Golbez being brothers," he answered.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. He said that there's a new evil guy on the moon," Porom added. "He also said that Cecil's gonna go fight the evil guy and leave you and Rosa here. Like _that_ would ever happen!"

Rosa brushed tears out of her eyes and managed an incredibly weak smile. "Is that what they told you?"

"Yeah; it's wild, huh?" Palom said calmly.

"You didn't believe it?" Rosa asked.

"Nah; do you know if Dharma had any brandy today?" Porom asked.

Rosa and Rydia both laughed suddenly.

"I don't think so," Rydia answered. "You guys... Dharma wasn't kidding. This is all really happening."

The twins regarded her as if she had one insane. "Were _you_ drinking brandy too?" Palom asked, sounding a little worried.

Porom felt herself beginning to panic. Everything that Dharma had said—most importantly about the moon trip—was true? Cecil and Edge and Kain were _really_ going alone, without any other help? Were they insane? She felt overwhelmingly distraught and almost as indignant.

"They should have asked _us_," she said, feeling tears stinging her eyes.

"You mean 'us', us?" Palom asked, pointing to himself and his sister, looking startled.

"Of course."

"What could we do?"

"Help them stupid!"

Palom's violet eyes grew wide and he seemed to shrink away from Porom. They had called each other stupid in the past, but never like _that_ before. Before, it was established that the name calling was just a joke; Porom seemed to really mean it this time. In fact, she punctuated her statement by jumping up and storming away. Palom ran after her.

"Porom, wait! What did I say?"

She didn't answer, but kept walking away with her back turned to him. Palom got the feeling that he should give her a lot of space, so he continued to follow her from a distance.

_If there's one thing I _think_ I know pretty well, it ties between the Fire spell and Porom,_ he thought. _But she keeps changing; every time I think I know her perfectly, she does something new. It seems like I see her angry more than ever these days. But she's never _just_ angry. Usually there's at least one other feeling mixed in there, and it's stronger than her anger... I'll bet that it's sadness or even despair right now._

_I hope all this angry-sad-upset stuff is just a phase. Why can't girls ever feel one feeling at a time?_

It was a long time before Porom wanted to talk again. He followed her into the square, which looked peacefully and disturbingly normal in light of the imminent danger hovering over the world, and she sat down on the rim of the little fountain. Cautiously, afraid that she might snap at him, he eased himself down beside her. Porom didn't seem to notice him right away; she was absorbed in her red- and white-striped lap.

_Well, I don't care if she doesn't want to talk right now,_ Palom thought stubbornly. _She's my sister, and I'm not going to leave her._ He settled himself and braced himself to remain seated on the edge of the fountain for a good long time.

They stayed there for almost an hour; Palom mall-watched, smiling to everyone who looked his way. They all smiled and nodded back, as if they had barely noticed his absents or the fact that his sister was _obviously _depressed.

"I can't believe that he's going away _again_," Porom said finally. "This time, we're probably never going to see him again."

"Is that why you're upset?" Palom asked. He knew it was a pretty dumb question, but he knew that asking dumb questions could get her to open up a little.

"Of course that's why!" she agreed. "There's got to be a way that we can help him..."

"All we can do this time is...pray, I guess," Palom said, once again remaining as calm as he could.

Porom stomped her foot angrily. "No! We can help him more than that!"

"It's not we were the only ones who aren't going," he pointed out.

"It bugs us too," someone behind him said. He turned to look and saw Rosa and Rydia standing over him.

"If Cecil thinks he can beat Zemus with only Edge and Kain, he's dead wrong," Rydia said stoutly.

"Oh," Palom said, noting the full backpacks both women had slung over their shoulders. He rested his hands casually on the back of his head and grinned mischievously. "Sneaking off, huh?"

"Stowing away in the cargo hold, to be exact," Rosa added. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Sure thing, Rosa."

Porom straightened a little bit. "It's good to know that they won't be alone."

"I'll say," Rydia agreed, sounding peeved. "Without Rosa's white magic and my summoned monsters, they'll barely make it through the front door. I hate it when Cecil has to be mister noble..."

"That resolve never lasts long," Rosa added. "All we have to do is ask _really_ nice and pout a little; it works every time."

"Why?" Palom asked.

"You'll have to be at least 14 before you understand," Rydia informed. She looked toward the sea at the sun, which was beginning to descend rapidly. "The _Whale_ leaves at dawn; we'd better get going if we're going to sneak on unnoticed. Palom, Porom... you'll be good for us while we're gone, right?"

Rydia sounded nervous, and the twins didn't blame her. He jumped up from the fountain and hugged her around the waist, which was about as high as he stood. He thought he was going to cry.

"I'll be good," he promised. "I'll be the best! I'm gonna work really hard and become a great black mage, just like you!"

He wasn't sure why he said that last part. He had felt so confident at first that Rydia would definitely be returning. But the fear in her voice... If she wasn't confident about her safe return, why should he be? Maybe he _wouldn't_ get to see her again; he had to let her know how cool she was.

"I thought you'd be sticking around for a long time," he sobbed into her belt. "I thought you could be like... my big sister, sort of."

Rydia knelt down to match his height and squeezed him tight. "I would have loved to be your big sister. You're an amazing kid; I wish I could have spent more than just a day with you and Porom."

Porom was still seated, feeling a little alone as she watched he brother.

"Porom," Rosa asked, holding her arms open, "do you need a hug?"

Porom started to cry and ran into Rosa's arms, sobbing. "I'm so scared! What if you don't come back? What'll we do?"

"We haven't died yet," Rosa pointed out solidly. "We may yet meet again."

"They don't seem to think so," Porom said petulantly, meaning Palom and Rydia.

"We haven't even left the Blue Planet yet. Rydia may be a Summoner with powerful magic, but she's no mystic; she doesn't know what will happen, and neither do I. And I doubt your brother knows either."

Porom sniffled. "You and Rydia will take care of Cecil, right?"

"You'll take care of everyone here, right?"

"Yes, I will," Porom agreed resolutely.

Rosa smiled benevolently. "Of course we'll take care of him; we'll take care of all of them." She released Porom and regarded the child's little face. "You look so much like your father... Whether we come back or not, you'll grow into a beautiful young lady one day."

"Like you?" Porom asked hopefully.

Rosa grinned and laughed softly, then gave Porom a soft kiss on her cheek. "I'm sure of it, dear." She turned to look at Rydia and Palom, still clinging to each other and crying softly. "Rydia, it's time to go."

Rydia inhaled shakily and rubbed her eyes with her fist. "We'll both be okay, right?" she said to Palom.

"Right," he agreed, sniffling loudly.

"Until we meet again then, sport."

She and Rosa hurried down the street together, leaving the twins alone in the square.

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Oh wow, this chapter was fun to write! I wish that I could have had more down time to work on it. But with end of last semester, beginning of second semester, Driver's Ed, a revived interest with The Sims, and the DS re-release of Dragon Warrior IV, I've had a lot to do. XD

The chapter seems long only because of the dialogue; it's 11 pages long, but only because of the conversations; space-wise, it should only be about seven or eight pages.

Now, how about some previews, since I forgot them last chapter?

_In the next chapter..._

_What despair! Palom and Porom were under the impression that they were going to rejoin Cecil and his friend on the adventure. (Even though we _all_ know the party can only have FIVE members!) Left behind o the Blue Planet while their friends run off to certain doom, how can they be of any help now? Well, there _is_ a way after all..._

Porom felt dizzy all of a sudden. The world was spinning around her and there was this loud ringing in her ears. She clapped her hands over them to try and block out the ringing, but it did no good. The ringing suddenly started evolving from a pointless noise to something intelligible. Familiar voices were calling her name, asking for help.

"Porom, Porom! Gather the others! Lend us your strength! We can't... We're falling... Help us, please!"

The ringing stopped as suddenly as it had started and she collapsed on the floor, feeling a little nauseous. There was a new voice, much clearer than the ones in her head; crisper and closer.

"Porom! Porom, are you okay?"

Oh; it was just Palom. She struggled to sit up, but fell back again. Her twin caught her head in his lap before she hit her head on the stone floor.

"Palom... Get every else and bring them here," she groaned, wishing the room would stop spinning. "I think Cecil's in trouble... He needs our help, now!"

_It's time to come together with old friends and new friends—and even a spirit or two—to swoop in and save the Warriors of Light from the supreme evil one, Zeromus! Can the twins make one more sacrifice for their dear friends? Of course they can!_

"Of all of us," Edward was saying respectfully, "I think the two of you have sacrificed the most. Yet you would give more?"

"You're just a couple of whelps; you're kids!" Cid added. "You've done more than your share. Leave the rest to us."

"Whelps are puppies," Palom said indignantly. "Dogs can't do any of the stuff Porom and me have done."

"And we're not done yet anyways," Porom insisted. "Everything that's happened," she said, counting on her fingers, "The raid last year, going up Mount Ordeals and Scarmiglione, Devil's Road, the Waterway, beating Cagnazzo, turning ourselves to stone, the Giant—it's all come down to this! Everything that's happened to us happened to bring us _here_, for this very moment."

"And everything that happened to you guys brought you here for this too. It's our destiny; not just yours, 'cause you're all grown-ups. It's _ours_ too," Palom added. "We're all Cecil's friends. Let's help him together!"

_What kids; they must have spent a lot of time with Rydia,_ Edward thought.

_Those two have changed. They are so full of resolve; they both seem to glow as angels. They've grown up,_ Yang thought.

_Those little punks... One more word out of either of 'em and I'm gonna start cryin' like a baby!_ Cid thought

Almost at the same time, all three of them thought, _They're absolutely right. Let's do this together!_

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break!_

_Brought to you in part by..._

CrazyTwins Productions Online! Now, for the first time, we offer web-comics, advice on story writing, and lessons on how to develop your very own monsters!

(Well... Not really.)

_With the Giant defeated and Golbez brought to his senses, it's time to take a well deserved break, reunite with old acquaintances, and meet some new allies._

_But Cecil's battle isn't over yet! And this time, there's nothing that the twins will be able to do for him!_

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this _very_ short break!_

_Brought to you in pat by..._

Final Fantasy XVIII, the 18th installment of the extensive Final Fantasy series! Relive the excitement of the classic RPG gameplay as ever before, with bold new graphics, new weapons and armor, and 400 new monsters to slay! Not coming in fall of 2010!


	22. The Helpers

Chapter 21: The Helpers

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Palom and Porom were depressed; that much was certain just by looking at the backs of their heads. And no one blamed them. Everyone had been under the impression that, with "professionals" taking care of this menace on the moon, Cecil and company might be able to stay in one place for a while. For herself, Mira had been anticipating a few wedding invitations in the near future. Jackie had suspected that Rosa would try to spirit Porom away to be her apprentice. But all those plans were cut dismally shot.

"Rosa and Rydia ran off," Palom informed bluntly at the dinner table. His parents raised their heads, surprised, and then realized that they had no reason to _be_ surprised, really.

"That's… too bad," Jackie said, slow and sadly, fishing for something relevant to say. "I hope they'll be okay. I assume they talked to you two about it before they left, then?"

"They found us and said goodbye," Porom agreed, staring at her plate without interest. She sighed heavily and got out of her chair. "May I please be excused? I'm not hungry."

"Me too," Palom added, pushing his plate away from himself. "Looking at food makes me feel really sick."

"Go on to sleep," Mira advised. "Try to get some rest; maybe it will help you feel better."

The twins nodded weakly and left the room, too sad to even say good-night to their parents.

"We ought to do something for them," Mira suggested when the children were gone. "Something special; just the four of us. I just… I honestly don't know how to soothe them."

"They've lost their best friend," Jackie pointed out. "From what I gather, this is probably how Cecil felt when they petrified themselves. In a way, we owe it to them to let them feel depressed for a day or two."

"I know; I went through my fare share of depression relapses while we were in Baron, myself."

"I was there for three of them; you tried to overdose on sleeping pills and I was the one who caught and stopped you, remember?"

"Yes… You don't think they'd try to do something like that, do you?"

"It's not likely. Children so young don't usually contemplate suicide, even in the middle of depression. I think they'll be okay, in time. I mean, after going through something so intense like they did, how can anyone expect them to be the way they were again? Experiences change people; especially at such an impressionable age."

"All the same…" Mira murmured doubtfully.

Unbeknownst to them, the twins were each in their own rooms, their ears pressed firmly against their doors, hanging to every word echoing down the hall. At the same time, almost telepathically, the each envisioned the many ways that they could kill themselves—casting spells on themselves, raiding the medicine cabinet, throwing themselves off bridges—and then the reactions of their friends—Cecil, Rydia and Rosa returning triumphant to find them dead, their mother dressed in black, and their teachers in tears—and decided firmly that nothing was worth putting their friends through that kind of trauma again.

_I'm going to bed,_ they thought at the same time.

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"Don't lose hope, lil' sister," Palom said earnestly while Porom continued to pick at her breakfast. "Maybe they're okay. Maybe they're on their way back here _right_ now."

"Yeah, right," Porom muttered into her oatmeal.

"I dunno… I've got a really funny feeling that something _big_ is about to happen," Palom insisted. "I had a dream last night about the moon. All our friends were up there, fighting this big bonfire-looking thing, and they were getting beat up."

"Oh, _that's_ comforting," Porom snapped.

"There's more! Let me finish! Anyways, they were all getting tried and stuff and then, out of the darkness I heard your voice."

Porom looked up, interested at last. "_My_ voice? Why?"

"Dunno. You were saying something about everyone was going to help them win; that we were all going to give them strength; something like that. I can't remember all of it."

"'We all'? There's only two of us."

"And we were there; I saw us appear in the dark, like ghosts. And then there was more! I saw Tellah and Anna too!"

"Tellah and Anna? But… They've been dead!"

"I know! And everyone else was there: Cid, Yang, Edward, they were all there with us! I'm telling you, Porom, something _huge_ is going to happen!"

"What were we all doing there?"

"…I don't know. The dream didn't show."

"Oh," she said dejectedly and sighed. "I was really hoping that you would say we showed up to help them beat that guy."

"How would we get there? We don't have the _Whale_."

Tired of Palom and his cryptic dreams, she got down from the chair and stalked out of the kitchen, trying to ignore the sudden twitching of her shoulder.

_I'm so stressed…_

The twitching continued as she went, growing worse. She finally stopped and began rubbing her shoulder as hard as she could. It subsided slightly, although it seemed to have spread up her neck and into her eye.

_Really, _really_ stressed…_

Porom felt dizzy all of a sudden. The world was spinning around her and there was this loud ringing in her ears. She clapped her hands over them to try and block out the ringing, but it did no good. The ringing suddenly started evolving from a pointless noise to something intelligible. Familiar voices were calling her name, asking for help.

_"Porom, Porom! Gather the others! Lend us your strength! We can't... We're falling... Help us, please!"_

The ringing stopped as suddenly as it had started and she collapsed on the floor, feeling a little nauseous. There was a new voice, much clearer than the ones in her head; crisper and closer.

"Porom! Porom, are you okay?"

Oh; it was just Palom. She struggled to sit up, but fell back again. Her twin caught her head in his lap before she hit her head on the stone floor.

"Palom... Get every else and bring them here," she groaned, wishing the room would stop spinning. "I think Cecil's in trouble... He needs our help, now!"

Palom beamed. "Aha! See? I _told_ you that something big was going to happen!"

"Cut it out! Just get them!"

"Bring them _here_?"

"—No, not here; the tower. We need uncle Rai's help."

"What about you? You don't think I'm just gonna leave you here like this, do you?"

"I'll be fine; I'm feeling a little better already," she lied. In truth, she still felt like she was going to throw up at any minute, but her vision had left her with a sense of urgency that was not to be ignored.

"What should I tell them?" Palom asked.

"I don't... That I saw something. Maybe they'll know what it means."

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Even though _they _didn't know what Porom's vision was supposed to mean, Rai seemed to know exactly what was going on.

"They're in trouble; _big_ trouble," he informed everyone once they had gathered together on the roof of the tower.

"What do you propose we do?" Yang asked sternly. "Surely there's something we can do."

"What if there wasn't a way?" Rai asked cautiously. Yang's dark eyes darted around nervously, defiantly, not able to believe that he could do nothing but sit back and watch his friends dying. The others present—Edward, Cid, some women from Troia, Leon the pilot and his twin, King Giott, and the twins—all fidgeted tensely under the question.

"I was just curious," Rai said at last. "There _is_ a way," he informed, and everyone let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.

"What would you have us do?" Edward asked eagerly.

"I would ask a great deal from each of you; for your strength and vitality for a few days," Rai answered and observed the reactions for a moment: confused adults, nervous-looking children.

"What would this accomplish?" Cid asked, trying to sound bigger and more intimidating that he probably felt.

"If we can get in contact with our friends on the moon, I can transfer our strength to them from here. It will leave you all feeling very weak and maybe unable to stand for a good while, but if we pooled all our energy and gave it to _them_, it might give them enough firepower to hold their own."

"And… Our magic?" asked one of the Troian women.

"If it's not asking too much, my lady. Rosa is a white mage, and Rydia is a Summoner; they'll need all the extra power they can get." The woman nodded her head understandingly.

"It certainly sounds like a plan," Edward said firmly. "I say we do it."

"Feh," Cid snorted. "When last I looked, you barely had anything to give, squirt!"

"That's not fair, Cid," Yang reprimanded. "We all have something or other to offer our friends; what little any of us might have could be the one thing that wins the fight."

As the group murmured its agreement, Rai stood still and watched how the twins would react. They had nothing to add to the conversation; they remained quiet, communicating silently with each other. After a few seconds, they grinned affirmatively at each other. They, too, were in.

"When do we start, cap?" Leon's brother asked. "Can we start now?"

Everyone seemed to agree; if Cecil and company were in trouble and there was something to be done, now was the time to do it.

"Stand in a circle around the roof," Rai directed and everyone scrambled to get in place. The area was just big enough for everyone present to fit in a circle around the roof top; everyone, that is, except the two little members of the group.

"Move over, please," Porom said politely to Yang. "Palom and I need to fit in the circle too."

Yang shook his head. "Perhaps it is best that you two stay out of ths adventure," he suggested.

Palom looked as if his head would explode. "How can you say that?" he demanded. "We've gotta help too, you know. That's what we're here for; duh!"

"Of all of us," Edward was saying respectfully, "I think the two of you have sacrificed the most. Yet you would give more?"

"You're just a couple of whelps; you're kids!" Cid added. "You've done more than your share. Leave the rest to us."

"Whelps are puppies," Palom said indignantly. "Dogs can't do any of the stuff Porom and me have done."

"And we're not done yet anyways," Porom insisted. "Everything that's happened," she said, counting on her fingers, "The raid last year, going up Mount Ordeals and Scarmiglione, Devil's Road, the Waterway, beating Cagnazzo, turning ourselves to stone, the Giant—it's all come down to this! Everything that's happened to us happened to bring us _here_, for this very moment."

"And everything that happened to you guys brought you here for this too. It's our destiny; not just yours, 'cause you're all grown-ups. It's _ours_ too," Palom added. "We're all Cecil's friends. Let's help him together!"

_What kids; they must have spent a lot of time with Rydia,_ Edward thought.

_Those two have changed. They are so full of resolve; they both seem to glow as angels. They've grown up,_ Yang thought.

_Those little punks... One more word out of either of 'em and I'm gonna start cryin' like a baby!_ Cid thought

Almost at the same time, all three of them thought, _They're absolutely right. Let's do this together!_

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It was dark, cold, and it felt like someone had run him through with a spear. This was all that Cecil could register as he lay on the cold hard floor of the dark chamber, smashed almost to pieces. All around him, his friends and the little family he had left had fallen as well, dying with him.

_We can at least say that we tried,_ he thought, feeling utterly defeated, feeling like a failure. He wished sorely that some of his friends would appear out of the blue, as Rosa and Rydia had. But no one was coming this time.

_Better for us to all die together, I suppose. What would have happened to Rosa and Rydia down there had they stayed, anyway? Left to wait in vain for us and to die alone and scared… That's no way for either of them to go. Here, at the end, I'm glad to say that I fell beside them._

The evil thing laughed maliciously. "Too weak to stand my power. I knew it. I'll eradicate the rest of your weakling kind from the universe. Such weakness is not to be tolerated in light of my awesome strength."

The words made Cecil's blood boil. He wanted badly to get back up and try again, but his broken body didn't agree.

_I need just a little strength…Just enough to get back up…_

"_Don't give up! Please!"_

Cecil thought he must be delirious. That sounded like Porom's voice echoing in the cavernous ruins. But it couldn't be…

His eyes were shut tight, but he opened them cautiously to look around. The first things he saw—to his surprise and terror—were the twins.

"You're losing your will, Cecil," Porom warned. "You can't give up now! You just got started!"

"I can barley move," Cecil protested weakly, deciding that he was dreaming.

"We're gonna fix that," Palom countered. "All of us are."

"There are only you," Cecil pointed out.

"Not for long," Porom said cryptically. She and her brother knelt beside him and took his hands.

They felt so real; he wondered briefly if he was in the afterlife and all of his friends had followed him. But now that they were so much closer to his face, he could see that they were slightly transparent. It wasn't really the twins; they were just holograms.

This was magic.

"Take our strength and get back up," Palom commanded. "We're giving it all to you."

"You'll need it all for the fight," Porom added. They both began to fade away, and their voices becoming more and more echoic.

"I feel dizzy..." Palom muttered as he vanished into the air.

"Uncle warned you," Porom scolded, sounding lightheaded herself, and she too faded into nothingness.

"Wait! You guys!" Cecil called after them, but no one was there.

_What was _that_ all about?_ He wondered. Then he realized that he was sitting up and that most of his broken bones were mended. He felt—dare he say it—_better_.

"Cecil, look over here," called an old, familiar voice. Cecil turned to look and, once again, had to blink his eyes several times, convinced that he was still dreaming. It was Edward, Anna, and Tellah, together at last.

"...But I thought you two were dead!" he exclaimed, pointing at Anna and her father.

"Naturally," Anna answered demurely. "But we've come to help you. You all look terrible."

"I'm weak and they are spirits," Edward informed needlessly. "We don't have much to give you in means of strength, but we will offer you what we can."

All three of them were transparent as well, more magical holograms. They began to fade away, like the twins; but as they did, he noticed his comrades coming around. As his daughter and once-to-be son-in-law disappeared, Tellah broke away from them and approached Rosa, who was struggling to stand on a leg that was still broken. Tellah offered her his hand.

"So, you're Rosa, eh?" he said as he hauled her to her feet. "I'm sorry that I never got to meet you; I came close several times." He took her hand and gave it a firm squeeze. His strength spent, he faded off to re-join the others, wherever they had come from.

"What was that?" Rosa wondered out loud.

"That was really weird," Edge complained, rubbing a headache off by jamming his thumb into his temples. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," Cecil answered, still sitting on the floor. "I think, somehow, our friends are helping us."

"It's our turn!" cried another familiar voice.

Everyone lit up to see who the next people were.

"Cid! Yang!" exclaimed Rydia, who had missed most of what had happened. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"We could all ask the same of you, kid," Cid scolded. "We're here to give you lot our strength."

"It would appear that Porom's little vision was totally correct; you all look terrible!" Yang added, beginning to fade.

"Going so fast, old men?" Edge reprimanded. "We could use your help here, you know!"

"We'd stay, but we're not really here," Cid informed, sounding dizzy. "The Elder's magic is just projecting us so that you can see us."

"Feeling better?" Yang asked drowsily.

Cecil understood what was going on, and his friends seemed to finally understand as well.

"You're giving us all your strength," Rosa guessed.

"Ain't magic wonderful?" Cid slurred as he disappeared. Yang waved goodbye as he followed Cid into nothingness.

The next to appear were the Troian mages, accompanied by Dharma and Sheila.

"You ladies could us some MP, no?" one of the women said sweetly as she began to fade off, faster than everyone else because she had less power to share. Sheila and Dharma split up; the white mage went to Rosa and the black mage went to Rydia.

"You'll need all the power you can get, if you want to call up your friends," Dharma chuckled as he helped Rydia to her feet. Edge lurched forward defensively, but Dharma vanished before the ninja could get to him.

Sheila bowed her head and blushed as she took Rosa's hands. "I've been rather rude to you. I'm sorry; I suppose I was jealous of you, for having the heart of such a wonderful man. Can you forgive me for my behavior?"

Rosa smiled benevolently and gave Sheila's holographic hand a squeeze. "Of course I can."

Sheila sighed, happy to have the burden off her shoulders. "I can see why Cecil tried so hard to get to you. You're a very special person." She sounded like she was going to say more, but her form faded like a ghost before she could continue.

"How about some strength?" bellowed a deep, jolly voice. King Giott and Luca had come to take their turn.

"We may be small, but we're hardy as anything!" Luca said brightly. "With our strength, you'll have a hard time failing!"

"Ha! You dwarves are alright!" cheered Edge, who was very fond of the inventive little people.

"Come back soon," Giott called as he and his niece began to fade. "And remember: don't die!"

"That's all of us," added Luca. "Go fight for us! Make that bad guy pay!"

"I think we might," Cecil agreed to the air. "Think we can try again?" he asked everyone.

"I feel great!" Edge commented, flicking some hidden shurikens out of his sleeves. "Let's get him! And this time, we know _exactly_ what to do."

Kain, forgotten to the side but revived all the same, stood up and picked his lance up from where it had fallen. "Edge is right; now that we've fought Zeromus once, we know where and how to hit and when to heal. It's a straight shot this time."

"Then let's make the most of that straight shot. It won't be any easier, but we _can_ do it now. Ready?"

"Ready!" everyone cheered together.

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The Elder was true to his word. When the large group came to from the rite, they felt terrible. Porom was surprised that she could sit up at all. Beside her, Palom was unconscious. The adults were all sprawled out on the rooftop around her, either asleep or groaning in terrible pain.

"I warned you that it would sap most of your strength," Rai reminded those who could still hear him. "Do any of you find yourselves able to walk?"

No one raised a hand. Porom tried, hoping that she could stand if she was awake, and found herself lying on the floor again.

"Recovery will come slowly, but it won't hurt," Rain informed. "I'll go and find some help to get you all downstairs. Wait here, okay?"

Several people groaned again, not amused by his teasing. The two airship pilots, who had been deliberately left out of the ritual for this reason, came forward and followed him back into the tower.

"We'll be back soon," Leon assured everyone before he disappeared down the stairs.

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For the next few days, the twin's lives revolved around thick soup and deep sleep. Porom was lucky to be a white mage; she recovered faster than her brother, who was once again sapped completely of his health and hardly able to sit up.

"I wonder if it worked," Palom mused drowsily during one of the brief periods of time that he was awake. "I mean, it had _better_ have worked. I feel terrible."

"I feel complete, somehow. Like it won't matter now if I live or die now, because I did what I was supposed to do and my task is done now," Porom added.

"Don't talk like that; of course it'll matter if you're alive. What would happen if you died?" Palom pointed out. "You wouldn't want my life to get all boring, would you?"

"I guess not. Still; I don't have to go looking for a destiny anymore. Even if I stopped learning right now, I wouldn't care because I've done what I was destined to do. Do you get that feeling at all?"

"Nah; I feel like I still haven't grown up, so I haven't reached my destiny yet. You're not going to quit school or something, are you?"

"Of course not!"

"Then stop worrying about it," Palom advised with a yawn. "I'm going back to sleep. Maybe, when I wake up, they'll all be back from the moon. I hope so…"

"You've been saying that since yesterday evening," Porom pointed out, though her brother was already snoring again. She yawned too and laid back down to take a nap herself.

_Then, maybe they _will_ be back. You never know… Not with them.........._

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At last! Who's up for an EPILOGUE?!?!?!

_In the next chapter..._

_Palom's made a new friend; and she's making him completely re-think his opinion of Edge's favorite topic: girls._

"Hey, Lisa, if I'm late for dinner again, my mom's gonna cream me. How about you come over to dinner at my house tonight? I don't think anyone would mind," he suggested, feeling pretty good about himself, despite his looming punishment.

Lisa grinned. "Sure! I'd love to! When should I—"

"I'll come for you after school," Palom interrupted. "You can walk home with me and my sister. We can have a snack and do our homework and stuff. Think your mom would let you?"

"I think so. I'll wait for you outside the academy, okay?"

"Okay; see you then."

_Heh; girls aren't as icky as I thought they'd be,_ he thought smugly as Lisa ran out of the garden, waving goodbye. _I love it when she smiles; she's so pretty when she smiles._

_Once again, it's time to celebrate. Not just for new beginnings, but for old ones as well!_

"Now that I think about it," Rydia mused, "it was about this time last year that we were shipwrecked. In fact, I think the one-year anniversary is tomorrow."

"Do you think that's why Cecil and Rosa picked today for the wedding?" Porom asked.

Rydia grinned ruefully. "Perhaps; maybe they just pulled a date out of the air. They certainly didn't pick it for the weather."

Porom made a thoughtful noise and thought for a moment. "If tomorrow's the one-year anniversary of the shipwreck, the that means that the day after tomorrow--no, the day _after_ the day after tomorrow is the day that Palom and I met Cecil for the first time. "

"Wow," Rydia said reverently, staring out the window at the rain. "A lot happens in a year, huh? Even when you weren't a part of it."

"Uhuh," Porom agreed. She knew well what the summoner meant; a lot had happened over those several months, and she hadn't been there for a good deal of it either.

_Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break!_


	23. Epilogue: After the Battle

Epilogue: After the Battle

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The tower was just a little too still for Rai's liking. Dharma and Sheila were out running errands, left undone for several weeks, and the twins were in another room studying. At least, that's what they were _supposed_ to be doing. He decided to go check on them.

He pushed the door to the other room open to find Porom, alone at the table, asleep on her pile of notes. He wasn't really shocked; Porom hadn't been sleeping well lately, and, for that matter, neither had her brother. Too much was going on in the world, and they were both loathe to miss a single moment of it. Just yesterday evening, an invitation had been Teleported to their house for a wedding; none of them had been able to sleep for their excitement, because it was Cecil and Rosa's wedding.

A little over two months overdue, but hey; better late than never, as they say.

So, naturally, Porom had fainted. However, Palom was missing, and it bothered Rai intensely. Since his sister couldn't seem to stay awake, he'd started waiting for her to fall asleep and then slipping out of the tower while she wasn't looking, and no one seemed to know exactly where he was going yet.

_She'll be angry,_ Rai thought, hesitant about waking his niece from her nap, _but I'd better get her up. Porom really needs a few days off. Can't say for Palom, though..._

"Porom, wake up," he commanded, shaking her gently. She bolted up with a yelp, one of her index cards glued to her cheek, and looked defensively around the room for something to attack. She sighed with relief when she saw it was only her uncle, and peeled the index card off her face.

"What is it, Uncle?" she asked tiredly, returning the card to her ruffled stack. "Did I fall asleep again?"

"Indeed, Porom," Rai agreed. "You didn't sleep very much last night, did you?" he guessed.

"Well... No. I was too excited about the wedding and all," she admitted, rubbing her eyes.

"Perhaps this trip to Baron will be a welcome vacation for you; you and your brother need to rest a little more. All this is too much for two six-year-old children."

Porom giggled. "We're _seven_ now, remember?"

"Oh, that's right," Rai realized. "The memory of an old man! I'm sorry. By the way, where's Palom?"

Porom pointed across the table. "He's right—" She turned to look, expecting to see her brother asleep as well, and made a tense gurgling sound as her breath caught in her throat. Over her initial surprise, her face grew red and her eyes narrowed.

"Oh, that brother of mine!" she yelled, jumping out of her chair and storming out the door.

"You know where he is?" Rai asked.

"I've got an idea," Porom informed angrily.

Actually, she knew exactly where her brother was. He was out back, in the garden, playing with a new friend of theirs. Her name was Lisa Bronn, and she was training as a red mage at a local academy. She was also seven, and only one magic level behind them; she was one of the most talented students at her school. She almost always wore yellow, and her soft light-brown hair was always pulled back from her face with a matching ribbon. She also had a knack for mischief and silly pranks, which was why Porom supposed Palom liked her so much. Lisa seemed to find them both very interesting, whereas the other children their own age didn't seem to want to hang around them.

Porom had met Lisa first, several weeks earlier, when things had finally settled down in Mysidia. Lisa had approached her with a concerned look on her face and a bunch of daisies and violets in one hand.

"My cousin Flora owns that bakery on the corner where you and your brother always hang out; she hasn't seen you in a long time, and she's a little worried about you," Lisa explained.

"We've been busy," Porom had informed stoically.

"Well, everyone had heard about what happened to you guys in Baron. We didn't know... something like that could actually happen," Lisa added, picking her words carefully, not wanting to offend Porom.

"Well, it was, er, pretty scary, I guess," Porom agreed, not sure which words to use either.

"Uh... These are for you and your brother, by the way," Lisa said shyly, handing the flowers to Porom. "It's kinda silly, but I just wanted to give you something."

"Oh, thanks! They're really pretty; I like them," Porom insisted. "Hey, do you want to come over to my house and play with us for a while?"

"Sure! I'd love to!"

And that was how Porom and Lisa had become friends. That was also when Palom had started skipping school and showing up late to dinner to hang out with her. Porom was currently the only other person who knew much about it because _she_ was the one who had introduced them and, though he was a pill for skipping, she didn't really want to get her brother or only other friend in trouble.

Meanwhile, Lisa and Palom were, indeed, in the garden. Lisa was sitting on a stone bench, listening to Palom's heavily exaggerated version of his adventure up Mount Ordeals.

"So I looked him straight in the eye and—do you know what I said?"

"No, I don't; what did you say?"

"I said to him, 'You know something, Scarmiglione, you don't scare me! Eat my Fira spell!' So I cast my Fira spell on him and all this fire started raining down on him. Fwoosh! Pow! Boom! Kabam! And then he was all like, 'NOOOOO! I can't believe that you beat me...!' And then he fell over the side of the cliff. End of story."

"Wow! That's _so_ cool! You and your sister are so brave."

"Oh yeah; we're good," Palom concluded with a grin. "Wanna hear how we helped Cecil become a paladin?"

"Yeah! Oh, this one's gonna be great!"

"Okay, so we finally got rid of that creep Scarmiglione. And then—"

"Palom Faraxhae! There you are!"

Palom and Lisa both grimaced. He looked over his shoulder to see Porom and Rai storming around the corner.

"Busted," he groaned. "Maybe you should get out of here, Lisa."

"I don't think I can; you're uncle's staring right at me."

"Darn; I'm sorry."

Palom felt terrible for getting Lisa into this; he hoped his uncle directed most of the punishment at him instead of her.

"So, is this where you've been running off to everyday?" Rai asked gravely.

"Uh... Yeah..."

Rai raised his eyebrow at his nephew and turned to Lisa. "Aren't you supposed to be in school young lady?"

Lisa shook her head. "It's recess, sir," she informed, giving him her most winning smile and batting her hazel eyes sweetly.

Rai gave a small smile and patted her head. "Fine. Run along, then. But I don't want to see you back here anymore, understand?"

"Yessir," she agreed and slid off the bench. "Bye, guys," she called over shoulder as she ran from the garden. "I'm sorry!"

Rai turned back to Palom once she was out of sight. "Well, you _did_ pick a good one. I thought you didn't like girls; what made you change your mind?"

Palom pouted indignantly. "I didn't change my mind. We're just friends. Really!"

"Hmph. _Sure_ you are," Porom teased.

"Both of you, stop it," Rai commanded. "Palom, if you don't sit still and do your work, how do ever expect to become a great sage, like Tellah? As great as he was, even _he_ had to start somewhere."

"Tellah _loved_ to goof off," Palom pointed out flippantly.

"Not the point," Rai scolded. "For your incompetence, you're going to have to do twice as much as your sister until you catch up with her."

"_Twice_ as much?! But she's ages ahead of me! I'll never catch up with _her_!"

"Then I suggest that you get started."

"But that's so unfair!" Palom whined.

"I think it's very fair," Porom interjected demurely.

"No one asked you, _Porom_."

"You shouldn't have skipped school, _Palom_."

Rai sighed._ Here they go again_. "Let's just get back inside. We're all wasting time." He turned and walked back to the front door.

"Wait for us!" Porom yelled, running after him.

Palom walked slowly, savoring his last few moments of freedom. He felt overwhelmingly happy that Lisa wasn't there to see that; he felt like such an idiot. A rustling in the bushes nearby caught his attention and he turned to look, wondering if an animal was caught. Instead, Lisa toppled out of the bush, fading leaves stuck in her hair.

Palom felt his heart skip a beat. "What are _you_ doing here? How much of that did you hear?" he demanded.

"All of it," Lisa answered.

"Oh... I'm such a loser..."

"Are you kidding? You handled that really well. You really _are_ brave."

"You really think so?"

Lisa answered with a benevolent grin. Palom's spirits rose again.

"Hey, Lisa, if I'm late for dinner again, my mom's gonna cream me. How about you come over to dinner at my house tonight? I don't think anyone would mind," he suggested, feeling pretty good about himself, despite his looming punishment.

Lisa grinned. "Sure! I'd love to! When should I—"

"I'll come for you after school," Palom interrupted. "You can walk home with me and my sister. We can have a snack and do our homework and stuff. Think your mom would let you?"

"I think so. I'll wait for you outside the academy, okay?"

"Okay; see you then."

_Heh; girls aren't as icky as I thought they'd be,_ he thought smugly as Lisa ran out of the garden, waving goodbye. _I love it when she smiles; she's so pretty when she smiles._

22222222222

"It really stinks that we have to go away again," Palom complained the next morning as he and his family walked down to Devil's Road. "I mean, it's not that I don't want to go or anything; I just thought we might be staying in one place for a while."

"I know what you mean, son," Jackie agreed. "I don't think that things on the Blue Planet will really be settled again for several years."

"_Years_?" Porom asked, unable to believe her ears.

"Kingdoms have been destroyed; thousands of lives have been lost. It may take generations for kingdoms like Eblan and Damcyan to get back to where they were. They weren't just attacked: they were completely destroyed," Mira explained.

"For how hard Mysidia was hit, we didn't lose much compared with other kingdoms around the world," Jackie added. "Despite everything—the lies uncovered, the new kings and queens, the revelations, the trust between the leaders of our world—all eyes have been critically cast on Baron."

"Indeed," Mira continued. "Cecil and Rosa are very brave to step up to the challenge of running that particular kingdom."

"Why's that? It's just Cecil and Rosa. Everyone trusts _them_, right?" Palom pointed out.

"Not necessarily. If they make _one_ mistake, there are still many people who will point their fingers at Baron and say, 'You see? Baron's still trouble; nothing's changed.'"

"Why would someone do something like that?" Porom asked. "After all that they've done for the Blue Planet—that's just awful!"

"Go and talk to families like the Steels," Mira suggested. "There are many families who can't believe that families like us would support Baron at all. Bjorn Steel can't see how we aren't crying violently for Cecil's deposition."

"But then, Bjorn Steel is a radical; and a stubborn one at that," Jackie added. "His kids didn't travel halfway around the world with Cecil, now did they?"

"No, I guess you're right, Dad," Palom agreed. "It's still not right. Who did they think was going to be the new king of Baron, anyway? Cecil deserved it."

"He certainly did," Mira agreed. "It surprised me to hear that we had missed his coronation the other month."

"I think that Rydia and maybe Edge were the only others there for it," Jackie added. "There was barely even a ceremony of any kind; they just made him the king and got on with their lives."

"Cecil never really had time for ceremony, anyway," Porom pointed out. "He's too busy and straight forward to waste time on formalities. There's too much that needs to be done in Baron, anyway."

"So, if he's to busy for ceremony, why didn't he just marry Rosa _then_?" Palom asked.

Porom whacked him again. "Because _that's_ what he wanted everyone there to see, duh!"

"All of the Light Warriors haven't all been in one room at the same time, have they?" Jackie asked.

"Oh... I guess not," Porom agreed. "Maybe we'll actually get the chance to just... talk about what happened together for a while."

"Not many people have been invited," Mira added. They included a guest list with their invitation, and it's strictly close friends and other important people. I think the ceremony will be public, but I don't think we'd be leaving the castle."

"The people of Baron _do_ need a boost in morale," Jackie pointed out. "These people have put their trust in Cecil for years, before this mess ever started; they adore him, and the probably adore Rosa as well. This is going to do them a lot of good."

"Changes in management are always a little hard to get used to," Mira concluded as they turned the corner to the building which housed the entrance to Devil's Road. "Things have already begun changing in Baron, and it's only been two months. For the first time in over a year, I'm happy to finally say that things are going to be okay. For everyone. Devil's Road is even easier to traverse these days."

The twins sighed together.

"Thank goodness," Porom said with a smile.

22222222222

Porom was slightly surprised, with the wedding only three days away, that Rosa had made it such a point to spend time with her every day. Almost as soon as they had arrived in Baron, the future queen had practically kidnapped her.

"I've been dying to spend time with you, Porom," Rosa said. "We haven't really spoken since the night that we left, have we?"

"No, we haven't. I've really missed, Rosa."

"I've missed you too," Rosa agreed, hugging tightly. "We're going to spend a whole lot of time together this week; I promise."

"You don't have to do that; you're getting married in three days. You must be really busy with wedding stuff. I'll be okay," Porom insisted.

"It's not a bother at all. I've been looking forward to you coming for weeks!"

"Really?"

"Trust me, Porom: we're going to have a great time together. Tell me, what would you like to do first?"

Porom thought about it for a minute. "...Can you help me with my Curaga spell?" she asked.

"Of course."

So Rosa went off with Porom and spent an hour an a half helping her memorize the incantation for the Curaga spell.

"CURAGA!"

Rosa clapped her hands. "That was perfect! You've been practicing, haven't you?"

"I sure have! That's my first Ga-level spell," Porom informed proudly.

Rosa sighed and reached out to stroke Porom's hair. "You and your brother really are great mages. I've never seen someone so young learning Ga-leveled magic. How's your brother doing with his magic?"

"He just learned Firaga last week, but I'm still farther along in my studies; as usual."

"Don't sound so down about it. He _is_ a boy after all," Rosa pointed out with a playful wink.

"Huh?"

"Believe me, I know. I first met Cecil and Kain when we were about your age; they weren't the most diligent workers either."

Porom raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I think you're lying."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you. Boys change; Palom won't always be such a slacker. He's got to grow up sometime."

"You think so?"

"I'd bet money on it."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Rosa sighed, annoyed that someone dared to intrude on her time with Porom.

"Come in," she called. A young woman stuck her head in the room and dipped her head respectfully to her.

"I don't mean to interrupt, Lady Rosa, but the tailor needs to see you; just a few last minute fixes on your wedding dress, ma'am. It shouldn't take long."

Rosa rolled her eyes. "Damna—Nuts," she muttered, censoring her language. "Tell her that I'll be right there."

"Of course," the maid agreed, nodding again as a sign of parting, and left.

"I thought the dress was done," Rosa sighed. "Porom, would you like to come with me to see it?"

Porom's face lit up like a candle. "I would! I'd love to!"

As they walked through the halls together, Porom tried hard to remember where she was. However, this was a part of the castle that she was not familiar with.

"I thought I knew the whole castle," she said sadly. "How do you know where you're going?"

"Well, I _have_ lived here my whole life. You know exactly where everything in Mysidia is, but I get a little lost there myself."

"Oh. I get it. Hey, I wonder if anyone else is here yet?"

"I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

At length, they came to a door and Rosa knocked on it. Someone inside called that it was unlocked and she opened the door. Beyond was the main room of the castle tailor's apartment of workrooms. Several assistants were busy mending hems, joining pieces of cloth together, and embroidering flowers and crests on shirts of dark red silk. The head tailor sat at a large table in the corner, going over some papers. But when Rosa walked in, no matter who was doing what, they all dropped their work, rose form their seats, and bowed respectfully to her.

"Please, don't do that," Rosa requested, her face flushed. "I'm not even queen yet! It's so unnerving!"

"Best get used to it, my lady," the tailor cautioned. "From now, _everyone_ who sees you is going to bow instinctively."

"I know, but—never mind. You needed to see me? I thought we finished the dress a week ago."

"So had I; I just want to make one more check over it, to make sure there's no last-minute problem to fix. I'm so nervous about the whole thing that I keep—Oh, you've brought a friend, I see," the tailor said, noticing Porom for the first time. "Who might this young lady be?"

Porom was about to tell the tailor her name, but an unseen voice interrupted her.

"That would be the sweet, talented, and utterly adorable Porom Faraxhae," the familiar voice informed. Though the speaker was hidden, her voice seemed to be coming from behind the front door. Everyone turned to see as the door swung shut, revealing a woman, a little younger than Rosa, wearing a bright yellow sundress that complemented her blue eyes and light green hair.

"She's a gifted mage," she continued, allowing her friends to recover from their surprise. "You'd best not underestimate her."

"Rydia!" Porom cried happily and dashed over to the summoner. Rydia caught her and swung her up in the air, setting her back down with a thump after a single revolution.

"Ah! Wow, you're heavy," Rydia gasped, kneeling down in front of her. "You've gotten taller; how old are you and your brother now?"

"We're seven," Porom answered, beaming proudly.

Rydia sighed. "My gosh, you're pretty," she said quietly, and Porom looked away shyly.

"No, it's true," the summoner insisted. "Anna was pretty too... One of these days, when Rosa and I are old and wrinkly, you'll be the most beautiful woman on the Blue Planet, won't she, Rosa?" she asked, rising to her feet.

"Most likely, my dear friend," Rosa agreed, embracing Rydia. "You got here so fast; we only sent the invitations yesterday."

"Yeah, the _Falcon_'s no _Enterprise_—and it certainly isn't the _Lunar Whale_—but it suffices."

"The _Falcon_... So you've been in Eblan these past few months?" Rosa guessed suspiciously, taking Rydia's hands and searching them. On her left ring finger, she found a simple gold ring crowned with two small sapphires and a larger emerald between them. She raised her eye brow at Rydia, who pulled her hand away and hid it behind her back.

"Well... I didn't have a place to stay, so..."

"You _could_ have come here; we'd have been happy to have you. And besides: Edge isn't here. Awfully hard _not_ to run into him in his own kingdom, wouldn't you agree, dear?"

"I've _been_ here already..." Rydia answered dumbly, and sighed when it became clear that Rosa was not impressed. She decided to change the topic. "It _is_ a nice ring, right?"

"Yes. Very nice, indeed," Rosa agreed; she surreptitiously glanced down at her own engagement ring of gold and diamonds and sighed wistfully.

Porom was still making an attempt to listen—airships and fancy rings were pretty fascinating, even if she didn't understand what was going on—but she had wandered over to the far wall, where bolts of fine, beautiful clothes were lined up in rows. She didn't think she had seen so many different colors or textures or even so much fabric in one place before. Her first natural instinct was to reach out and touch each one, maybe even tug some lengths off the rolls to play with, but she kept her hands clasped tightly behind her back.

_I'd love to know where all these different fabrics come from. And how can you get so many different shades of blue? I didn't know you could have so many blues! It boggles the mind! I'm feeling a little dizzy... So much fabric... So many colors... I can't believe I never knew about this place; it must be the most amazing place in Baron!_

_Palom must _never_ know about this place. He'd make a horrible mess and then _I'd_ get in trouble._

"Are you enjoying yourself?" the tailor asked, jarring her attention away from the rainbow of cloth.

"Yes, I am... Where do you get so much fabric?" she asked. She looked down at her own cotton dress—red and white striped, as usual—and her cloak of thicker, coarser, sturdier green. "I thought there was just _cloth_; I didn't know there were so many different kinds!"

"Most of what you see on the wall was made here, in Baron, by our local cloth-weavers. Others, like the finer silks, are imported. We have things from all over the world on our wall," the tailor explained.

"Wow..." Porom tried hard to wrap her head around the idea that most of these cloths were made within the city, that only a fraction of what she saw came from somewhere else. It sounded like a whole new dimension with its own rules, language, and inhabitants. Not to mention that the people in this room had the power to measure, cut, fold, and shape each of these cloths into different kinds of clothing—from a simple cotton shirt all the way up to Rosa's wedding gown. It seemed a kind of magic, and these tailors the most amazing mages in the world; their power seemed greater than anything she herself could ever learn.

"I wish I could do all that," she lamented as she thought about all this. "I don't think I could ever lean as much about fabric as _you_ do. I wish I could though..."

"Rosa and I can teach you," Rydia offered. "She taught me how to sew when I was about your age; it's a handy skill, no matter where you are or what you happen to be doing."

"You could do that? I'd love to learn!" Porom said, nodding her head eagerly.

"Of course we'll teach you," Rosa agreed. "We'll get started while I try on my dress... _again_." She turned to Rydia and sighed. "It seems like years since I taught you how to sew; it's surreal."

Rydia tilted her head to one side. "But that _was_ years ago. Ten years, remember?" Rydia insisted.

Rosa shook her head. "Rydia, that was just a little more than a year ago; it hasn't even been 18 months."

"Oh... I'm still stuck on Feymarch time; never mind," Rydia said sadly.

Porom didn't understand exactly what was meant, but she got a good idea. Rydia felt—bluntly—a little detached from the Overworld. Like the whole kingdoms that had been destroyed, some people—like Rydia—might never be able to go back to the way they were before. Porom knew herself that she and Palom would never be the same after being petrified for almost six months; they seemed normal enough, but they were definitely different in very subtle way. As for Rydia, ten whole years out of the loop... That made her time as a stone statuette look like a five-minute time-out in a corner. She wondered just how left out the summoner truly felt and if there was anything she could do for her.

However, Rydia shook off her mistake and regained her natural composure. "We need to find some old scraps of cloth, a few needles, and some thread," she insisted, her blue eyes scanning the workshop for her listed materials. "If we're gonna teach Porom how to sew, we need to start_ now_."

_Huh. When they came up with the term "unsinkable", they must have meant either my brother or Rydia. And it was probably Rydia. She and Palom are a perfect fit after all._ The thought made her smile, and she decided firmly that from now on, she would strive to be a lot more like Rydia.

22222222222

Palom and Porom could not believe it. They stood at the window of their room, near the bottom of the eastern tower, and watched as grape-sized drops of rain fell down in torrents.

"This is even _more_ not fair than me having to work twice as hard as you, Porom," Palom growled, stomping his foot impatiently. "Porom, make the rain stop!"

Porom whacked his head. "You know that I can't change the weather! Pull yourself together."

Palom rubbed the sore spot and growled again. "I mean, come on; it's their _wedding_ day! They don't deserve this! There's got to be something someone can do to fix this."

"I don't feel bad for Cecil and Rosa: I feel bad for all the people. Remember what Dad said about the people needing a morale boost from this wedding? They won't be able to come today, because of all this rain," Porom pointed out sadly. "_That's_ the unfair part."

"So... What happens now?"

Porom shrugged. "Get ready anyway, I guess."

"You just really want to get into that green dress."

"It's such a pretty dress; it's the first solid-colored dress I've ever really liked."

Palom rolled his eyes. "It's just clothing. You wear clothing every day. What's so special about it now?" Though he had to admit that it was a nice dress. Porom seemed especially proud of it, because she had sewn the lace to the sleeves and hem mostly by herself.

About thirty minutes later, they walked out of their room together to see what was going on. The tower seemed to be pretty still; they didn't even see their parents out yet.

"I wonder hoe we're gonna get all the way over to the throne room with all that rain," Palom wondered.

"I could always cast Shell over us; that could work." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "SHELL!"

An iridescent pink sphere materialized around them, slightly distorting everything on the other side of it.

"First time I've ever used this spell," Porom remarked, pleased that the spell had executed itself perfectly.

Though the sphere followed their movements, Palom reached out and pushed his hand beyond it to turn the door knob that led out of the tower. The door swung out, letting the spray of the heavy rain come pouring in the door and splattering against the sphere instead of them.

"I hope it holds up under the rain; it's coming down really hard," he observed.

They took a deep breath and marched out into the rain, treading carefully over the wet ground; Porom had to lift her skirt above her ankles so that the hem wouldn't get wet. In order to get where they needed to be, they needed to go in another door, up a stairwell to a platform, and down another flight of stairs to the big room where they had fought captain Baigan so many months earlier.

The platform they had to cross happened to be the first place they had been after being revived; it was their first full view of Baron and the village beyond the castle wall. But it had been sunny and warm that day; they both expected the castle grounds to be dark and dreary with rain. As they emerged form the stairwell and onto the platform, they were surprised to see the main courtyard filled with hundreds of people. Some of them had umbrellas, some even had Shell spells similar to the one Porom had cast protecting them. Others still had no covering at all, though they stood in the rain and waited patiently anyway. The twins had to stop and stare at them all for a moment.

"They came anyway." Palom sounded like someone had knocked him over.

Porom thought that she was going to cry. "Cecil and Rosa are so lucky," she said. "Even if the rest of the world is against them, the people of Baron are behind them, one hundred percent."

_Curse the rain!_ She thought spitefully._ These people don't deserve this in the least! I hope they'll all be okay..._

They might have stayed and starred all day, but the Shell began to fade, forcing them to finally race across the platform and into the large reception area at the bottom of the other flight of stairs. As they emerged into the room, hey found that several of their friends were already there. Closest to them was Edward—officially the king of Damcyan—killing time by tuning his harp. Edge the ninja stood over him, watching the process with interest. Yang and Cid were pacing the hall anxiously, seeming to be off in their own worlds. Rydia stood by herself in a corner on the other side of the room, looking out a window. Edward and Edge noticed the twins first and smiled warmly.

"Sleep well, kids?" Edge asked cheerily.

"Yeah, I guess," Palom agreed as the Shell finally wore off. "Did you see al those people out there?" he asked, jerking a thumb back the way he and his sister had come.

"They're kinda hard to miss," Edge answered. "I can't believe that so many people showed up; I think most of Baron's populace is out there."

"Their courage is inspiring," Edward remarked, plucking at one of the strings on the harp and, displeased with the sound, returned to adjusting the tune. "The love they hold for their king and queen is enough to lift heavy hearts all around the world. It gives us all hope."

"Not everyone in Mysidia seems to think so," Palom insisted. "Do _you_ think things will ever be the same again? Mom and Dad don't."

"I don't think so. Many of us are rebuilding from the ground up," Edward pointed out. "But we'll definitely be back in the swing of things, eventually. Just wait and see."

Meanwhile, Porom had wandered over to stand by Rydia. Today, she was wearing a kimono of green silk, embroidered with flowers of gold thread; she looked like a queen, herself.

"You're always so beautiful," Porom remarked, obeying her instincts and reaching out to touch the fine silk.

"You're beautiful too," Rydia insisted. "You did a good job with the lace; you caught onto the sewing thing fast."

"Thanks. So... The ring, the kimono, staying in Eblan—are you and Edge getting married too, or something?"

Rydia smiled and winked. "Don't tell anyone else yet; they'll all freak out."

"Will you invite everyone for that too? 'Cause Palom and I would love to be there for that."

"It's _a lot_ farther than a trip across Devil's Road."

"We won't care."

Rydia sighed and leaned her head against the window pane. "Time sure goes by fast," she said quietly.

"It does," Porom agreed. "Sometimes, I forget how I got involved in all of this, and it takes me a while to remember it all. There's so much to remember."

"Now that I think about it," Rydia mused, "it was about this time last year that we were shipwrecked. In fact, I think the one-year anniversary is tomorrow."

"Do you think that's why Cecil and Rosa picked today for the wedding?" Porom asked.

Rydia grinned ruefully. "Perhaps; maybe they just pulled a date out of the air. They certainly didn't pick it for the weather."

Porom made a thoughtful noise and thought for a moment. "If tomorrow's the one-year anniversary of the shipwreck, then that means that the day after tomorrow—no, the day _after_ the day after tomorrow is the day that Palom and I met Cecil for the first time. "

"Wow," Rydia said reverently, staring out the window at the rain. "A lot happens in a year, huh? Even when you weren't a part of it."

"Uhuh," Porom agreed. She knew well what the summoner meant; a lot had happened over those several months, and she hadn't been there for a good deal of it either.

"Well, I guess that doesn't matter as much. We're here now, and we're going to move forward, aren't we?"

"Yeah! You bet!" Porom said, nodding. She also leaned against the window and smiled, feeling full of conviction. "I'm going to be the _best_ white mage in the world one day," she decided. Rydia reached down and tousled her hair.

"I don't doubt that in the least. You'll do great."

Porom grinned. _Mom was right. Things really _are_ gonna be okay for everyone. We're gonna put the Blue Planet back together; and even though it'll take time, it'll be better than before. I know it._

For the first time in her whole life, she was filled with hope; from the top of her head down to her feet. She couldn't wait to get back home and get started.

_This is going to be fun._

22222222222

(Insert MAJOR fanfare here!)

I'M FINALLY DONE!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?!?!? AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!! XD XD XD XD XD T.T T.T T.T

Okay, I'm calming down now; after all, I'm not so sure about that ending.

Let me explain my excessive absents: lately, I had felt like I was beginning to get re-addicted to fanfiction, and I never like that. Luckily, Lent started and I figured that it was the perfect reason to kick start my fanfiction rehab. After all, fanfiction is fun and all, but when it starts eating your life from the inside out it becomes a pain and no fun anymore. So I've had my time off, worked on some independent stuff, and I'm feeling ever so refreshed.

And now for a very serious question for all of you who have really enjoyed this story. I feel like this one was one of the best I've ever done, and I'm very proud of it. However, I've been thinking that I'd like to do some more with this branch of the FFIV story, but it doesn't really belong as a part of this story; I mean, it's already 23 chapters long!

So, my question is: how would you guys like a sequel, or even two?? I need feedback, because I had this great premise for a sequel, set about 12 years after this story, but I don't want to waste my time if no one wants to read it! Please answer in your review!

And now, I have stuff that I promised I'd finish this year, and I need to get back on it. I'll wait for at least two "yeses" to the sequel to get started.

Sincerely,

Freida L. Right!


End file.
